Montgomery ready to line up for Buckeyes in '24

All Luke Montgomery ever asked for was a chance.With Ohio State soon opening practice for the 2024 season, there's a good chance he's going to get it.A 6-foot-5, 308-pound offensive lineman, Montgomery saw playing time in nine of Ohio State's 13 games last season, a rarity for a true freshman in a program traditionally ranked among the top teams in the country."I played the 'Bison' position, which is an extra lineman who comes in, mostly for run blocking, but also able to play tight end and be eligible to catch passes," Montgomery said during a visit home to support his younger brother Ryan's letter-of-intent signing with Georgia."I was grateful for that opportunity to see the limelight. That's going to help me get ready for this coming year."Off-season and preseason commentary of Ohio State football cited depth and consistency of the offensive line as an area of concern heading into the 2024 season. While quarterback Kyle McCord threw for over 3,000 yards and 24 touchdowns last season, he was sacked 16 times and the Buckeyes average of 138.5 yards a game on the ground was the program's lowest rushing total in over a decade.Ohio State started the 2023 season 11-0, but scored just 27 points in its last two games, a 30-24 loss to Michigan and a 14-3 setback to Missouri in the Cotton Bowl.Ohio State does return four starters on the offensive front this season – left tackle Josh Simmons, left guard Donovan Jackson, center Carson Hinzman and right tackle Josh Fryar. The Buckeyes also welcomed in portal transfer Seth McLaughlin, who was Alabama's starting center last season and is expected to challenge Hinzman for that position.There is a vacancy at the right guard spot, especially after last year's starter – Matthew Jones – entered the NFL draft (he signed as a free agent with Miami) and backup Jakob James transferred to Toledo.Montgomery is considered a prime candidate for that spot, along with Hinzman (if he is displaced at center) and Tegra Tshabola. Also in the mix of prospective linemen are players like Zen Michalski, Austin Siereveld, Joshua Padilla and Toby Wilson."All parts of the O-line are open, but I'm focusing on the interior, the guard spot right now," said Montgomery, who played right guard in the Buckeyes' spring game. "I've been working a lot on technique, and I'll compete for that spot every day."Catching a glimpse of Montgomery on TV on a Saturday afternoon may be a highlight. The Findlay High grad says few people know what all goes on behind the scenes and before the kickoff."Most days, I'm up by 5:30, 5:45 and I'm there (football building) by 6," he said of his schedule before the Buckeyes' spring game. "We have meetings from 7 to 8:30, then you're off and running 'cause you practice at 9."People don't really know this, but our practices at Ohio State – and I'm sure Ryan will go through this too (at Georgia) – are harder than most of the games. Because of how many reps you're taking and the quality of players you're going against, practices are as hard or harder than most games are."The transition from prep to college ball, especially in a program like Ohio State, can be overwhelming. But Montgomery came into the situation knowing what to expect, and has been a quick study."You can't let one play affect the rest of your day. That's something I learned pretty quick here," he said."There are going to be ups and downs. That's just the level of football we're playing."Coach (Ryan) Day always says that you might have a bad play, but that doesn't mean you're going to have a bad day. You have to continue on because you have to be ready to go, every game."That's what I did (last year). I had the opportunity. I had a chance to get in most every game and I enjoyed every minute of it."Now I want to take that experience and build on it."