Will Montgomery Season 2005

66 - Will MontgomeryPosition: Center
Class: r-Senior
Height: 6' 3"

Weight: 307 lbs.

High School: Centreville
Hometown: Clifton, Va.

Makes the move to right guard, but could still be used at center if needed ... A versatile player who could start at either of those positions ... Was an honorable mention All-ACC selection as a center last year after replacing All-American Jake Grove ... Originally joined the team as a walk-on defensive tackle and earned a scholarship ... Has started 23 consecutive games on the line, starting 10 at guard in 2003 ... Had a great spring in making the transition back to guard and was named the team's top leader on offense ... Is fundamentally sound and uses good technique ... Takes an aggressive, no-nonsense approach to football ... Earned Super Iron Hokie honors in the weight room this past spring ... Also earned the Excalibur Award - the top honor in Tech's strength and conditioning program - for the second time ...

A Talk With... What is your favorite part about being a Hokie? Game day. Running out in front of 65,000+ fans each week. It gives you a great feeling. What is your favorite thing to do? My favorite thing to do is during game week, on Thursday nights, the entire offensive line goes out to dinner at a different place. We are a really close group and I really enjoy doing that. Do you see yourself in a leadership role this year? I will be because of my game experience. I give guys pointers here and there because I have been through so many games. Jimmy Martin and I are going to step up and help the other guys out. Where do you see the offensive line going? I see us being better than yesterday. We are a veteran group with four seniors. What are your team goals? Obviously to win another ACC championship. We had a lot of tough games and close games last year. In order to keep winning, we have to win those games this year. My individual goals are to study my tape hard and know my opponent. If a young guy needs help, I'm going to help them. I want to prepare for each like it is my last. How do you prepare for a game? On Monday mornings, we get a scouting report from the offensive coaches and they give us the heads up on what we need to know. I like to go into the meeting rooms before meetings and watch film on my own and make sure I know my opponent. On game day, I don't really have any rituals. I like to go to West End and grab a bite before we leave for the hotel and then watch more film. I'm not too uptight, I like to take a laid back approach so when the game comes, I'm ready to play. What is something about you that not many people know? I am a walk-on who earned a scholarship. I'm proud of doing that. I was barely recruited coming out of high school but there are some cracks in the recruiting system and I got through. I'm proud to represent walk-ons. What is your favorite Hokie memory? This past season, winning the ACC championship and going to the Sugar Bowl. My red-shirt sophomore year, when we played Miami and we had the walk before the game. That walk was probably one of the best walks we have ever had and after we beat Miami it was a great time. The whole experience of each game day, I love it. Who on the team do you admire most? If I could take it back to last year, I would say I admire Bryan Randall the most. He was a great leader and he really stepped up. He was a really nice guy and a great leader. If I could model my game after him, I would. What will you miss most about Tech? The guys and the relationships I have made. Also the adrenaline rush of running into the stadium.

2004: Made a successful move to the center position ... Started all 13 games, playing 734 offensive snaps in the regular season ... Graded out at 89 percent with a team-high 46 knockdowns ... Made his first collegiate start at center in the opener against USC ... Had a team-high seven knockdowns and graded out at 90 percent in the win over Duke ... Graded out at 86 percent with three knockdowns on 65 snaps at Wake Forest ... Played just 26 offensive snaps in the big win over FAMU, grading out at 92 percent with four knockdown blocks ... Had three knockdowns on 65 snaps while grading out at 89 percent at Georgia Tech ... Graded out at 90 percent with five knockdowns on 69 snaps at UNC ... Played 58 snaps against Maryland, grading out at 90 percent with two knockdowns ... Played 60 snaps against Virginia, grading out at 95 percent with four knockdowns ... Played 67 snaps at Miami, grading out at 95 percent with four knockdowns ... Given the President's Award, awarded for outstanding leadership, following spring practice ... Set a new position record in both the push jerk (391) and power clean (390) ... Power clean mark was the second-best in program history while push jerk marks the fifth-best ... Also had a 460-pound bench press, a 625-pound back squat, a 29 1/2-inch vertical jump and a 4.85 40-yard dash ...

2003: Played in all 13 games, starting 10 ... Saw action on 668 offensive snaps, grading out at 88.8 percent with 35 knockdown blocks in the regular season ... Made his first collegiate start against UCF ... Played 81 snaps, grading out at 90 percent with a knockdown ... Played 31 snaps, grading out at 94 percent with a team-high four knockdown blocks against JMU ... Played 34 snaps against Syracuse, grading out at 94 percent with two knockdowns ... Got the start at West Virginia and graded out at 90 percent with five knockdown blocks ... Played all 61 snaps on offense at Pittsburgh, grading out at 91 percent with three knockdowns ... Set position records in the bench press (455) and power clean (380) on the way to Super Iron Hokie honors ... Won the Frank O. Moseley Award as one of the top hustlers in spring practice ...

2002: Played in four games at guard ... Was in for 52 offensive snaps this season, recording two knockdown blocks ... Saw action on 34 offensive snaps in the opener against Arkansas State and registered a knockdown block ... Saw brief action in the win over Marshall and at Western Michigan ... Played six snaps against Rutgers, registering a knockdown block ... Set a position record for offensive guards at Tech with a 360-pound power clean during spring max testing ... Also had personal-bests in the bench press (430) and back squat (600) on the way to Super Iron Hokie honors ... Earned the Richard Bullock Award as the Hokies' most improved offensive player during spring practice ...

2001: Began preseason practice working as a defensive tackle ... Was moved to offense before the season and redshirted ... Practiced at right guard ... Improved his bench press to 385 pounds during fall scout team testing ... Continued to work at the right guard position during the spring ...

High School: Lettered three seasons as a two-way lineman for Coach Mike Skinner at Centreville ... Was named first-team Group AAA all-state as a defensive lineman by both The Associated Press and the coaches' association as a senior ... Posted 85 tackles, including eight sacks, that season and blocked a punt ... Turned in three sacks and 11 tackles in the state semifinal game against Varina ... Helped team win the state title ... Was first-team all-district and all-region and second-team All-Metro ... Named the Centreville Athlete of the Year in 2001 ... Was second-team all-district on offense and defense his junior year ... Finished the season with 65 tackles and seven sacks ... Also lettered in basketball and baseball ... A member of the National Honor Society ...

Personal: William Michael Montgomery ... Born 2/13/83 in Brunswick, ME ... Son of Mike and Rose Montgomery ... Majoring in business information technology.

- INTEGRITY - SERVICE - HONOR - EXCELLENCE - STRONG TOGETHER