Louisville LB Monty Montgomery Enters Transfer Portal
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Middle linebacker Monty Montgomery was able to secure one last year of collegiate eligibility, but in a stunning twist, it won't be spent with the Louisville football program.
The redshirt senior for the Cardinals announced Monday that he has entered his name into the transfer portal.
Montgomery's entry into the portal comes roughly three weeks after Louisville Report confirmed that he had gotten his medical hardship waiver approved, and would be returning for the 2023 season.
This season, the 5-foot-11 and 220-pound linebacker was a key component in Louisville's success in the front seven. Playing in all 13 games with 12 starts, Montgomery collected the second-most tackles on the team with 70, the third-most tackles for loss at 11.0, tied Ashton Gillotte for the third-most sacks with 6.0, and tied Yasir Abdullah for the most forced fumbles with four. He also tallied five quarterback hurries and snagged two interceptions.
Over the past four seasons, the Norcross, Ga. native has been one of Louisville's top sack artists and overall defensive assets. Joining the program in 2019 after spending a season in the JUCO ranks at Hutchinson Community College, he finishes his Cardinals career with 160 total tackles (96 solo), 23.5 tackles for loss, 15.0 sacks, seven forced fumbles, seven pass deflections and three interceptions in 39 games.
Losing Montgomery is a huge blow for Louisville's defense heading into year one of the Jeff Brohm era, and they will have to dip into the transfer portal for the position. Even with the presumed switch to a 4-2-5 defensive scheme, the Cardinals are relatively thin on starter-caliber inside linebackers. While to utilization of the linebacking corps will be different under the new regime, the only true inside backers remaining are K.J. Cloyd, Jaylin Alderman and Jackson Hamilton. T.J. Quinn is likely to backup Benjamin Perry at STAR.
Montgomery is the 13th Cardinal enter the portal following the end of the regular season. He joins running backs Trevion Cooley and Jalen Mitchell; wide receiver Dee Wiggins; offensive linemen Max Cabana and Luke Kandra; defensive linemen Caleb Banks, Henry Bryant and Zach Edwards; linebackers Dorian Jones and Allen Smith; cornerback Rance Conner; and punter Mark Vassett.
Fortunately, Louisville has done a good job at countering their portal losses, landing 12 commitments via the portal up to this point. They've secured commitments from quarterback Jack Plummer; running back Isaac Guerendo; wide receivers Jadon Thompson, Jimmy Calloway, Kevin Coleman Jr. and Jamari Thrash; offensive lineman John Paul Flores; defensive linemen Rodney McGraw and Stephen Herron; cornerback Marquis Groves-Killebrew; and safeties Devin Neal and Gilbert Frierman.
Louisville finished the 2022 season with an overall mark of 8-5 (4-4 in ACC), including a 24-7 win in the Fenway Bowl over Cincinnati.
(Photo of Monty Montgomery: Eric Canha - USA TODAY Sports)
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