What started as something novel to throw off an opponent in Week 9 a year ago may very well become more of a staple of the offense this season.
In Lincoln High’s final regular-season game last season against Lincoln Southwest, Links coach Mark Macke decided to move 6-foot-2, 230-pound defensive end Isaac Montgomery into the backfield for a series in the first half.
The result — Montgomery had 17 yards on four carries during the 57-yard drive march and scored the Links’ first touchdown on a 6-yard run. Montgomery finished the game with 28 yards on six carries and left enough of an impression on his coach that the power-I set in which he was the fullback is back in the playbook this fall.
“It was the first time I’d done it in my high school career, so it was pretty fun just getting it (the ball), running as hard as I can and getting myself a touchdown out of it,” Montgomery said. “They (Southwest) didn’t expect it because we hadn’t shown that formation all year and it surprised them.”
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There will be no sneak attack when Montgomery is in the backfield this season. Macke said Montgomery will see some time running and blocking on offense, although his main focus will still be defensively, where Montgomery combined his size, speed and agility for 23 tackles, five of which were behind the line of scrimmage.
"He’s a good D-lineman," Macke said. "He can run and he’s not afraid to hit people. We need physicality on our team and that’s what Isaac brings us."
The Links bring back six starters defensively, and they’ll have experience at every level. Senior linebacker Quinn Thew (6-0, 175) is Lincoln High’s top returning tackler from a year ago with 62. Four seniors — DaRon Givens (5-7, 160), Dylan Smith (5-10, 170), Parker Vyhildal (6-0, 185) and Carson Hillhouse (5-10, 165) — are back with starting experience in the secondary.
Four starters return on offense, a group led by JaReese Lott-Buzby, a 6-1, 180-pound junior who took over the starting quarterback job late last season. Lott-Buzby accounted for 547 yards of total offense, with most of it coming in the final three games.
“I’m expecting JaReese to have a great year,” Macke said. “He can throw it, he’s got a great arm and he’s a threat to run. If we can protect him, I think we’ve got some receivers who can catch the ball.
“He’s a big kid who made himself better in the weight room this summer,” the coach added.
Lincoln High went 1-8 last season after qualifying for the Class A playoffs the three previous years and going a combined 15-5 in 2017 and 2018. Lott-Buzby was a freshman when two-time, first-team Super-State quarterback Cedric Case was a senior, and Lott-Buzby and his teammates are determined to get the Links back where they were a few years ago.
“We’re all coming out with a chip on our shoulder every single day in practice and every single game,” Lott-Buzby said. “It’s pretty easy to get up and go at the beginning (of the season) after going 1-8, but there’s a certain drive and mindset you have to have to stay with it the whole year. That’s what we’re working towards.”