There wasn’t much time for media requests for Landon Montroy on Wednesday. There was a full day of school, practice with his Monmouth-Roseville football teammates, homework, dinner, and then one of his three weekly shifts at Fareway Meat and Grocery, where he bags groceries and stocks shelves.
In the 25 minutes he could spare before the start of his shift, Montroy was able to reflect some on the fine start to the season he and the Titans are having, entering their Week 5 game at Princeton on Friday, Sept. 26, with a 4-0 record. The junior fullback has already surpassed his sophomore rushing totals, with 501 yards on 51 carries (8.5 average), part of a punishing Titans backfield that includes senior Nick Huston (578 yards on 56 carries).
Don’t expect the Titans’ runners to have any less of a workload the rest of the way, as they have only attempted nine passes as a team through four games.
Asked if he has exceeded personal expectations so far this season, Montroy said, “No, not really. Because I try to live by the standard that I’m never satisfied. With the bigger role I’ve taken in the offense this year, my goal is 1,000 rushing yards. With the offensive line we have, I know that can be done.”
Montroy, and Huston, are quick to heap praise on that group, led by seniors Cody Johnson, Javan John, Landyn Angelo, and Brody Dodd.
“I trust those guys with my life,” Montroy said. “I do a lot of blocking as well, so I have a great relationship with the whole O-Line.”
Montroy, who also plays defensive end, is listed at 5-foot-11, 210 pounds. He’d love to grow to 6-1, 230, to better help him play football at the college level. Iowa State is his dream destination, he said, but one thing at a time. He knows he has a lot more proving to do, even in his own backfield. Huston, the senior, has more yards.
“But I have more touchdowns (10 to eight),” Montroy said. “It’s been a little competition with me and him. He’s like, ‘When are you going to catch up to me?’ and I’m like, ‘When are you going to catch up to me?’ But we’re good buddies. We back each other up. There’s good chemistry there.”
The Titans won a Three Rivers Mississippi conference title a year ago, but stalled in the playoffs.
“I think about every day,” Montroy said. “We have good morale right now. We show up every day. Brody Dodd and I do it the most, but when we go into our team mode session, we’re hyped. We’re like ‘Let’s go, let’s go’ and we’re jumpin’ around, we’re flyin’ around.”
Staying positive as a team, Montroy said, will be crucial to the Titans’ postseason success.
“Picking each other up” is one area the team could be better, Montroy said.
“We’ve had a couple guys that, they’ll make mistakes and then they get all in their head. Then, two or three plays in a row, they’re making mistakes or they’re not going full speed or they’re not calm in their answers,” Montroy said. “That’s where we have certain guys that are picking each other up, saying, ‘Hey, next play, next play. Forget about that one.’”
Montroy was a wrestler as well, but a torn rotator cuff made him give up the sport. He still throws shot put in the spring and last year qualified for the state track and field championships.
In 2021, Montroy’s father, Casey, passed away. He has two other brothers and a sister, and credits his mother, Lacrissa, for all she’s done to keep a family structure intact. He also credits his coach, Jeremy Adolphson, and assistant coach Dan Morrison for getting to such a good place so early in his high school career.
“I was a really small freshman, and last year they gave me a true chance,” Montroy said. “I’m forever grateful for that. I was just praying for a chance for them to let me show them what I can do. Now, at games, my mom has shirts with my face on them. I’m very fortunate right now.”
This article originally appeared on Galesburg Register-Mail: Landon Montroy brings balance to Monmouth-Roseville football’s 4-0 start
Reporting by Adrian Dater / Galesburg Register-Mail
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
