John Clayton
Sophomore quarterback Ty Montgomery has quarterbacked Blue Ridge to wins in his first two games as a starter.
The sophomore quarterback has helped Blue Ridge to a 2-0 record with both wins coming over Class 4A opponents. His early season chemistry with receiver Brennen Griffin has fueled the Tigers’ passing game and eased the pain of losing Shrine Bowl quarterback Caleb Rowe to graduation and the Maryland Terrapins.
Montgomery said being the player to follow one of Blue Ridge’s most successful and decorated athletes is something he has had to embrace.
“I know I have to come out and work just as hard or harder than he did and come out and do just as good if not better,” Montgomery said. “I have to come out and do what I can to help us win.”
Rowe started 31 games for Blue Ridge and threw for more than 7,600 yards and 78 touchdowns, including 2,722 yards and 33 touchdowns last season as a senior.
Montgomery watched it all from the sidelines, but said he took in a lot while working alongside Rowe.
“I was looking at him do what he did and I try to bring something else to it,” Montgomery said. “I worked off of him a lot and I learned a lot from him, too.”
Montgomery’s learning curve this season has been quick.
In Blue Ridge’s two victories, Montgomery has completed 34 of 44 passes (77 percent) for 368 yards and run for 87 yards and two touchdowns.
In Friday night’s 27-6 win at J.L. Mann, Montgomery connected with Griffin nine times for 139 yards.
“Me and Brennen have kind of grown up together, and we’ve gotten that chemistry,” Montgomery said. “It’s working good right now, and I hope it keeps on.”
Blue Ridge Head Coach Wade Cooper said he is not surprised to see that quarterback-receiver relationship pay dividends on the field early.
“They’ve been together for a while and they’ve thrown together . . . Over time you develop that chemistry,” Cooper said.
Cooper also said that Montgomery brings a dimension to the running game that Rowe didn’t have, so the Tigers have added more zone-read option runs to its spread offense to take advantage of Montgomery’s running skills.
Montgomery rewarded that tweak to the offense with a late 37-yard scamper that set up an 11-yard Mikal Robinson touchdown run in the fourth quarter against Mann.