The Ohio State offensive lineman discusses accountability, offseason growth and personal motivation entering the 2026 season.
Ohio State offensive lineman Luke Montgomery is not running from what happened last season. He is owning it.performance against Miami. “We understand that. We took that and we’re going to implement it now.
We’re pretty pissed off.”We’ve come through adversityNow entering his third season with the Ohio State Buckeyes, Montgomery is no longer just part of the rotation. After appearing in seven games as a freshman in 2023, he worked his way into meaningful snaps during the College Football Playoff and made his first career start in the win over Texas.“We’re very experienced up front,” Montgomery said. “A lot of guys can cross train and play different spots.” Montgomery is at the center of that versatility. “I’ll probably play a little bit of center and then a little bit of tackle this spring,” he said. “The more versatile you can be, the better your opportunity is to play.”season that already looks loaded . “I think the experience matters in the big-time games,” Montgomery said. “We’ve got a gauntlet this upcoming year. It’s going to show in the fourth quarter.” Still, the foundation of everything this offseason traces back to what went wrong. “I think we honestly beat ourselves in some of those scenarios,” he said. “We took things for granted a little bit. Should have done better with the basics.” That reflection has pushed Montgomery to take a more detailed approach, both mentally and physically. “I think just my overall IQ of the game,” he said. “Not just knowing the front seven, but also what they can do in coverage.”“I like to cook now. I do it every night,” Montgomery said. “I don’t go out for dinner. I go to the grocery store.” That shift has come with a few sacrifices. “Fried chicken,” he said when asked what he misses most. “Every Monday night, putting down a buttermilk chicken sandwich…it was freaking good.”. “I just want to continue to have stamina throughout the season…We want to be world winners; there’s no excuse not to be.” Even with that focus, moments like receiving his first pair of gold pants after beating Michigan carry a different kind of meaning.But even that moment comes with added motivation. “My girlfriend’s dad played at Michigan,” Montgomery said. “He’s 2-2 against Ohio State…I need to win this next one.”“We’re an experienced line. There’s no excuses.”BRIAN SCHAIBLE Brian Schaible is an award-winning journalist with more than 25 years of experience covering college and professional sports. His work has appeared in The Sporting News and other national outlets, where he focuses on the athletes, coaches and defining moments that shape the game. He holds a master’s degree from Kent State University.
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