Four downs with Bellevue

It’s season two for Bellevue under head coach Chad Montgomery, who returned to the high school last year after coaching stints at Dayton and Cooper. Montgomery, a Bellevue alum, came back with the primary goal of restoring pride to a program that had fallen on hard times. By that measure, 2023 was an unqualified success.

However, more progress is needed as the program aims to return to the lofty status it enjoyed when Montgomery played as a Tiger. This is more than a two-year plan and requires patience. Fortunately for Bellevue, every player but one on this year’s roster has the opportunity to be around for season three under Montgomery. The team has just one senior on a roster of 29 players, having lost 10 Tigers to graduation.

“We are very young even with the experience we return,” Montgomery said. “We have to stay healthy.”

With youth on their side and enough experience and talent to compete right now, optimism has enveloped the Tigers. This is what Montgomery envisioned when he returned. While plenty of other goals remain, the aim this season is to start checking bigger items off the bucket list as the Tigers pursue a return to greater glory.

FIRST DOWN — RECAP

The Tigers quickly became one of the more heartwarming stories last year, starting the season with three wins in their first four games. This equaled the win total of the previous four seasons combined and put a spotlight on Montgomery, who returned to Bellevue after the school parted ways with three head coaches in five years.

Montgomery’s return reinvigorated the program. As a former Bellevue star running back, he knew what it was like to be a football player in the proud small-school system. Bellevue won state championships in 1977 and 1979. The Tigers were in the title game in 1990, going 11-2 in Montgomery’s senior season.

After he was hired, Montgomery and his assistants earned instant credibility. The players bought into the messages and schemes, feeling championed by someone who cared for the school as much as they did. The Tigers finished 4-7, their best record since 2018. They fell to Ludlow in the first round of the 2023 Class A playoffs.

Along the way, Montgomery said the young Tigers gained an education. They learned momentum is important, confidence is essential and belief is paramount. Montgomery was the key to unlocking their potential; now all they have to do is reach it and get back on the path to respectability. To that end, the Tigers return eight starters on both offense and defense. The coach is reminding everybody that their margin for error remains small, and focus will be a key.

“It’s a game of inches,” Montgomery said. “A play or two and how quickly 4-7 last year could have been 2-9 or 6-5.”

SECOND DOWN — OFFENSE

Bellevue experienced massive improvements under Montgomery in the power spread offense. The Tigers averaged about 18 points per game. They scored 26 points in all of 2022. Critical to the production was a cohesive line paving the way for some talented young athletes, including breakout running back Jordan Pendleton, much-improved quarterback Tristan Woodyard and an emerging corps of receivers.

Four linemen with starting experience are back including 6-foot-2, 225-pound left tackle Patrick Vogt and 6-1, 300-pound left guard Arion Stuckey. There’s also right guard Amari Rodgers who can also play center, and right tackle Derrick Fortner.

“The offensive line has played together for five years,” Vogt said. “I feel like we have bonded to the point that we can gain yards and win games.”

The 5-foot-8 Pendleton rushed for 1,061 yards, caught 28 passes for 472 yards, and scored 18 touchdowns. Woodyard improved his completion percentage from 34% as a freshman to 45%. He went from two passing TDs and 11 interceptions to seven TDs and nine picks last season. His top receiving target, Brayden Sizemore, is the team’s only senior. Sizemore had 19 receptions for 236 yards and one TD last season.

“I’m pretty hyped,” Sizemore said. “We’ve got some athletes. I feel like we can do better this year with so many guys coming back. We just have to put the work in.”

Emerging players include 6-1, 205-pound complementary back Will Lear, wingback/quarterback Stephen Specht, RB/WR Ben Trimnell and WR Kam Stokes.

“What I like about our receivers is they know their spots,” Woodyard said. “Our running back (Pendleton) is really good. We can run with him and pass and do play action because he makes good reads.”

THIRD DOWN — DEFENSE

The Tigers gave up 34.5 points per game last year. But coach Montgomery saw big gains with playbook knowledge, scheme comprehension and implementation. He expects bigger leaps this season after switching to a 4-2-5 base defense.

“Last year, many people just wanted to see us field a team and win a game,” Montgomery said. “We exceeded those expectations, and I want our kids to go in with the confidence to feel like they can win and keep building. I think we can do that on defense.”

Vogt, Stuckey, Rodgers, Fortner and Lear are part of the defensive line rotation. Sizemore, Stokes, and Kayne Ross play linebacker. The secondary includes Pendleton, Woodyard, Specht and Trimnell. Pendleton led the team in tackles. Woodyard was second in tackles. Sizemore and Woodyard led with two interceptions. Trimnell had two fumble recoveries, one returned for a touchdown.

FOURTH DOWN — GOALS/OUTLOOK

Coach Montgomery said team goals are pretty straightforward.

“We want to have at least a .500 season,” the coach said. “We need to get the No. 2 district seed so we can host a playoff game. Obviously, we’d love to win a playoff game. To do that, we need to get better every time out.”

Vogt likes his team’s outlook as the Tigers go about restoring the roar.

“I’m definitely excited about what we can do,” Vogt said. “We always said by the time we’re seniors we want to do something big and we still have this year and next year to do something big.”

How can they achieve this?

“We can’t start out hot and lose late,” Montgomery said. “Last year, we were really hungry. I want that same attitude, but I want to beat the teams that beat us. The bar is going to be raised every day to get better so we can do that.”

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