Rush is your nighttime dose of updates to the Ohio State football recruiting trail, keeping track of the latest confirmations and goals across the country.
Montgomery impressed by OSU’s offer
It finally happened.
Luke Montgomery officially has his chance to become a Buckeye, if he so wishes.
Montgomery prepared to meet what he hoped was just another casual call to the Ohio state team, but he finally got the news that Eleven Warriors (and many others) predicted that it would happen sometime this winter or spring. Greg Studrawa and Kennedy Cook knocked on the door (virtually, of course) on Thursday, extending an offer to the prospect outside Findlay High School.
He is now the third potential customer in the state of 2023 with an offer from the state of Ohio, joining the defensive side of Mentor, Brenan Vernon, and the security of Pickerington Central Sonny Styles. Michigan, Penn State and Notre Dame highlight some of Montgomery’s other offerings.
After a great call, I am very excited and blessed to receive an offer to play football at THE Ohio State University #gobuckeyes @ryandaytime @CoachStudOL @CoachCookOL @OSUCoachHinton @OSUCoachKDub @OhioStateFB Proverbs 3: 5 pic.twitter.com/HkxkDKRRrO
– Luke Montgomery (@ lukeMonty8) February 18, 2021
We picked up the phone with Montgomery minutes after he tweeted the news, and his head – understandably – was still spinning.
“Very crazy. Overwhelmed. I’m very excited,” said Montgomery. “I didn’t expect this. I’m so speechless. I have so many things going on now. It’s been wild.
“It was crazy. It’s a blessing. I didn’t expect this. I thought it would just be another call with Coach Cook. We usually try to talk once or twice every two weeks, just to catch up and stuff. I didn’t expect to. Coach Stud picked up the phone and offered it to me. I was so shocked, honestly. ”
So … why now? Why did the Buckeyes give the green light? Well, in a twist of fate, this is an example where the extension of the dead period is to be grateful for.
“(Studrawa) said he wanted to wait until I arrived on campus and received my family,” said Montgomery. “And then, a few days ago, obviously, the dead period was extended and he said, ‘We are going to offer it to you now. We really like you, we love your movie. ‘It’s crazy, it’s a blessing. ”
When we spoke to Montgomery on record for the first time this summer, he told us that the Buckeyes have singled him out as an offensive striker, but that they also liked him as a defensive-end / defensive hybrid. After all, this is how some schools, such as Michigan State, Notre Dame and Virginia Tech (each offered), see the 1.80 m tall sophomore.
But now the Buckeyes have made it clear that they like him on the offensive line, probably on the outside, as Montgomery thrives on that side of the ball in his first season lining up there.
“They want me to attack. I’m just making the transition there this year for O-line, ”said Montgomery. “They really like my footwork. I’ve always had that in basketball and I love basketball. This is still my favorite sport. They just said that their speed and physicality is what they like.
“They just want to see me grow from now on and put me on campus and stuff. I’m going to call Coach Day tomorrow, actually, to catch up and everything. ”
Ohio State coaches have not compared Montgomery to any player from Buckeye’s previous or current offensive line, but Montgomery believes he compares a little with Lane Johnson, three times from the offensive NFL Pro-Bowl. A high ceiling, for sure, so he’ll have to work hard to reach it.
“I will try my best. I’m just going to keep my head down and work hard. That’s it. That’s all I’m going to do, ”said Montgomery.
He has already worked hard, however. In the summer, he told us he was feeling stronger both physically and mentally while losing fat and gaining muscle. He has continued to transform his body for the past few months. Ironically, he has a small leg injury to thank for that.
“I feel so good. It’s been great,” he said. “It was kind of a blessing in disguise, honestly, when I think about it now. I haven’t played basketball this year. I’m still on the team, but just in case – I got hurt and still I’m technically out – I didn’t play. I really took the time to focus on losing weight and buying my own body. I’ve been eating really well since I got hurt. Just working as hard as I can, and it was really worth it. through the weight room. ”
So now, in addition to absorbing the rest of the day after receiving his offer from Buckeye, he will have to deal with friends, family and media people like his own, asking him when he will commit to Ohio. Montgomery laughed and said – similar to colleague Brenan Vernon’s approach to 2023 – that he will make his decision calmly. He said, after the next football season, “I will definitely consider where I’m going.”
“I love the state of Ohio,” said Montgomery. “Coach Stud, he grew up playing 20 minutes away from me at Fostoria. I was born in Columbus. I lived there for about a year and still have a family in Columbus. I’m super familiar with the area. I go there a lot, I love the campus and, obviously, academics are also very important.
“I see many (in ways that I fit your attack). Obviously, an All-American like Wyatt Davis and then Nicholas Petit-Frere. Paris Johnson, my family is really close to their family, so I’m going to work with them this summer, I’m sure in Cincinnati, learning from the best.
“They seem to have, every year, just the best offensive line and the best defensive line in college football.”
2023 star receives two sports offer
Montgomery was not the only player to be offered by the Buckeyes on Thursday.
In a rare move to the state of Ohio, the football and basketball programs extended a scholarship offer to candidate Lebbeus Overton, of Milton (Georgia).
Ohio State extended an offer to the nation’s No. 1 general player and to the 2023 class No. 1 defensive side, Lebbeus Overton. Other offers include Alabama, Georgia, LSU and Oklahoma.
Apparently BasketBucks also likes him https://t.co/tdyxAsdzaU
– Zack Carpenter (@Zack_Carp) February 18, 2021
Overton, a 1.80 m tall and 245 pound player, is the number 1 player overall and number 1 on the strong side of defense in the United States’ 2023 class. It has offers from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, LSU and Oklahoma, among others.
He is the teammate of the 2022 Ohio State Basketball commit Bruce Thornton, and it looks like the Buckeyes are going to recruit Overton from both angles.
Header photo: Luke Montgomery – 247Sports