Ohio State’s OL Luke Montgomery’s journey from a highly touted local recruit to a cornerstone starter on the Buckeyes’ offensive line included some time spent waiting for his turn. Fortunately for him, he had the right people around him who helped him get perspective in moments of doubt.

“I got two parents that are there for me, and then every part of my life, there’s someone who has a lot more wisdom than I have, and I’m trying to learn from them in every aspect,” said Luke to Financial Athlete’s Dane Burkholder during his May 28 appearance on Y-Option with Yogi Roth. “So for me, understanding the game and stuff like that, understanding finance, I have a little bit of a grip on it, but the people that I surround myself with are the people that are really helping me to where I want to go, if that makes sense.”

Coming from an athletic family with a rich CFB legacy definitely helped the 2025 Ohio State starter make the best decisions to play at a high level. His father, Mike Montgomery, was a linebacker for Miami (Ohio); Luke’s grandfather, Bob Montgomery, was an All-American lineman for Findlay College. Despite having a background, there was a time when Luke wanted to quit football, but his parents’ support helped him recover from that emotional hole.

“100% I think. You know, like I said, just from the emotional decision standpoint, like we’re young kids, man,” said Luke. “There’s been times where I’ve wanted to quit football. There’s been times where I’ve wanted to transfer from Ohio State in my early years. But you know, I stuck it out because I can see the greater good in doing that. And I think that helped me out a lot.”

Despite offers from powerhouses like Michigan, Clemson, and Notre Dame, Luke Montgomery chose to stay home after graduating from Findlay High School in Ohio. He committed to OSU in 2022. But being young, staying loyal to the Buckeyes wasn’t easy for Luke. That’s where his mom, Christina Montgomery, really guided him.

“One thing that I’ve always been told, especially by my mom, is never make an emotional decision right out the gate, like always sleep on something,” said Luke. “I do a lot of background checks on people. Like I do my research.”

Although his first two seasons were spent as a reserve athlete, during OSU’s National Championship run in 2024, he became a crucial rotational piece. He played 64 snaps in the Cotton Bowl victory against Texas and earned his first collegiate start. Then, in the title game, he played 70 snaps against Notre Dame.

Last season, he claimed a permanent role on the Buckeyes’ offensive front as a left guard. Even Luke earned second-team All-Big Ten honors, starting 14 games in 2025, despite the team’s late-season offensive struggles. Following that, he could enter the 2026 NFL draft, but he returned to Ohio State for some unfinished business.

Luke Montgomery’s unwavering commitment to Ohio State

Playing one more year at Ohio State will help boost his NFL Draft stock, but there’s one more thing that motivates Luke to return. That’s beating Michigan one more time. Following a 27-9 victory in 2025, he was rewarded with gold pants. Now, this season, he wants one more.

“Being an Ohio kid and being here now and understanding what the rivalry really means and stuff like that, going into my third year and losing two times, I really wanted those gold pants,” said Luke. “Now we got these ones, but I’ve got one more year left.”

Regarding his recruitment, he even showed his loyalty to Ohio State, taking jabs at Michigan, stating, “Thank goodness I didn’t go there—just with what’s going on in the past few years.” But his love for the Buckeyes didn’t stop there.

Shutting down rumors regarding his NFL draft declaration, he stated, “Love this place [OSU] and the people.”

This upcoming season, the motivation also includes fixing the offensive woes that plagued Ohio State in its losses to Indiana and Miami.