With nearly 300 all-purpose yards and game-changing special teams play, it’s hard not to give the Pac-12 player of the week nod to Stanford wide receiver Ty Montgomery.
We are aware of the exploits of Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota -- who has turned preseason Heisman hype into a reality with his dazzling weekly performances -- but Montgomery was every bit the game-changer against a legitimate top 20 team in Washington.
It started with his 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown to open the game. We should also give credit to Lee Ward (No. 36 when you watch the replay), Patrick Skov (24), Joe Hemschoot (40) and Jackson Cummings (23) for the quartet of textbook blocks that sprung Montgomery. His speed took care of the rest.
He also added a 39-yard touchdown reception at the end of the first half and a 68-yard kickoff return that led to Tyler Gaffney’s 11-yard touchdown run. In total, he rushed for 30 yards, had 56 receiving yards and totaled 204 yards on kickoff returns for a grand total of 290.
It was a a signature performance for Montgomery, who struggled with drops in last season's loss to Washington in Seattle.
“Much was made about last year's game with Ty and him having a rough game,” said Stanford head coach David Shaw. “We all had a rough game last year. But what I love about Ty right now and his mentality is this wasn't a way to get back at Washington or wasn't a redemption by any stretch of the imagination; it's just his growth. I mean, he's a better player now than he was a year ago. He's gotten better every single week.”
