Transfers Montgomery, Walton say new DC Pete Golding impacted decision to come to Ole Miss
OXFORD, Miss. – In World War II, British general Bernard “Monty” Montgomery was known for going on the offensive against the Germans.
This fall, Ole Miss will have its own Monty Montgomery. But this one will go on the defense against his opponents.
The Louisville transfer comes to Oxford after finishing second in tackles for the Cardinals last season with 70 tackles, 33 of them solo stops. He also tallied 11 tackles for loss.
No Fly Zone 🚫🙅♂️@MontyTBE1 | #HottyToddy pic.twitter.com/hdFtlEhgIU
— Ole Miss Football (@OleMissFB) March 31, 2023
Does any Ole Miss fan want to guess who was the only Louisville player to have more tackles than Montgomery last year for the Cardinals? It was former Ole Miss star Momo Sonogo.
So, what made Montgomery decide to transfer to Ole Miss?
Like any good general, he needed someone he trusted in a higher command. In this case, it is new defensive coordinator Pete Golding who joined Lane Kiffin’s staff after serving in the same capacity at Alabama.
“’Professor G’ as I call him, Pete Golding, he came in and made me feel at home. So, I just took the opportunity and ran with it.”
Ole Miss LB Monty Montgomery
Montgomery is not the only trooper to join the Rebels due to Golding’s presence. Former Georgia Tech cornerback Zamari Walton also decided to enlist with Ole Miss and he, too, cites the Rebs’ field commander.
“I thought it would be a good decision for me with coach Pete Golding coming here. And having Lane Kiffin as a great (offensive mind), I just thought it would be a good fit for me knowing some of the guys and being able to play against him and seeing what they can do and what I can help them do, I just thought it would be a great fit for me to be here.”
Ole Miss CB Zamari Walton
The way Montgomery thinks he will be deployed is another thing that attracted him to Ole Miss.
“The way he’s going to use me is perfect for the player I am. He’s going to stack me; he’s going to Apex me. He’s going to send me off the edge and that’s everything that I wanted.“
Monty Montgomery on how he will be used at Ole Miss
Walton, who notched 36 tackles for Tech last year, including eight against Ole Miss in the Rebels’ 42-0 win in Atlanta last season, has witnessed Golding’s generalship and it made him want to serve under him.
“It’s just being able to watch him from ‘Bama from the time he was there, it was just good,” Walton said. “Just good knowing that he was going to be here, (he’s) just a great fit for me and the schemes that I like to play, knowing I’m a longer corner that I can move while playing man. So I thought it would be a great fit.”
New Ole Miss commit Zamari Walton with the scoop n score against Notre Dame pic.twitter.com/qtmupibpYE
— We Run the Sip (@OMRebelNation) January 23, 2023
One other thing that made Walton want to come to Oxford is the chance to be able to battle the best in the country.
“Obviously you know, the best guys are in the SEC so coming here I’m just able to compete with those top guys and see what I can do,” Walton said.
Open Practice
Rebel fans will have a chance to watch Monty Montgomery, Zamari Walton and the team this Saturday, April 8, when Ole Miss holds its second open practice to the public inside Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, with a tentative start time of 10:45 a.m. CT.
Fans should park in the SJB Pavilion parking garage and enter through gate 33 in the southwest corner. Gates will open at 10:15 a.m. and seating will be available in the south grandstand. Spring practice will culminate with the annual Grove Bowl on April 15.
Ole Miss opens the season Sept. 2 against Mercer in Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.
Steve Barnes
Steve Barnes joins The Rebel Walk staff as a senior writer and brings a trifecta of journalistic experience. As a writer, he has covered college sports for Rivals.com, Football.com and SaturdayDownSouth.com as well as served as a beat writer for various traditional newspapers.
He has been a broadcaster for arena football and several national tournament events for the National Junior College Athletic Association as well as hosting various shows on radio.
A former sports information director at Albany (Ga.) State University and an assistant at Troy and West Florida, he has helped host many NCAA conference, regional and national events, including serving five years on the media committee of the NCAA Division II World Series.
Barnes, a native of Pensacola, Fla., attended Ole Miss in 1983-84, where his first journalism teacher was David Kellum. The duo has come a long way since that time.
He will bring a proven journalistic track record, along with a knack for finding the out-of-the-ordinary story angles to The Rebel Walk.
Barnes continues to reside in Pensacola a mere ten minutes from the beach because he does have taste and a brain.
