By
News Desk
For Iowa football, it’s all about the next man up mentality.
With starting middle linebacker Jaden Harrell out against Wisconsin, Jayden Montgomery got his first career start.
The Wisconsin native did not disappoint. He had three total tackles, helped shut out the Badgers, and served as the main communicator between the defense and the defensive staff.
“Wearing the green dot, Coach Parker and Coach Wallace do a great job of, like, utilizing that throughout camp,” Montgomery said. “So whether or not you are taking reps with the ones or twos, wherever you are taking reps at (middle linebacker), you will have reps at practice so you get good practice with that. So going into the game it really wasn’t an issue.”
“I thought (Jayden Montgomery) did a really good job, and not minimizing his role, because he’s in a communication position, a leadership position. I thought he handled it really well,” said Kirk Ferentz, Iowa football’s head coach. “It wasn’t shocking just because of the kind of guy he is. He got voted to the leadership group without ever being a starter here, and he has done such a great job on special teams. He’s so conscientious and has an unbelievably great attitude.”
Jayden Montgomery’s father, Jerry, is an assistant coach for the Cincinnati Bengals. With the Bengals playing the Packers in Green Bay the day after Iowa played in Madison, Jayden was able to make his first start with his dad watching from the bleachers.
“That was super cool for me. And like I said, being back at home and all it added a lot to it,” Montgomery said. “I had a great time. I couldn’t imagine it being any other way. I think (my dad) said, ‘You’re prepared, you prepare during the week. Just go out there and have fun. That’s the biggest thing. Ya know, just give it everything you’ve got and look back at the end of the game and you’ll see whatever the scoreboard looks like, but just know don’t leave anything out there. Just know that you gave it your all.’
Montgomery and the Hawkeyes host Penn State at Kinnick Stadium on Saturday.
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