Three hours or so into the pre-camp workouts, Anthony Montgomery and Kedric Golston would look at one another. Then they’d look at the clock. Then Randy Thomas would look at them — and order them back to work.
And they’d stay another two hours.
For Montgomery, it’s the sort of workout he hadn’t done in the past. Which is why he was labeled an underachiever at the University of Minnesota. Which is why he was a fifth-round pick in 2006.
Look at him now: A much-more conditioned 315-pound defensive tackle who enters the season as a starter, according to the Redskins’ unofficial depth chart.
“In college I got content,” he said. “I had a full belly. I didn’t feel like the guys behind me could challenge me for a spot so I didn’t approach the offseason workouts with the intensity I needed to. I had to learn that whether you’re competing with guys behind you, or with yourself, you have to push yourself.”
Montgomery still has yet to prove himself during the regular season. But he pleased the coaches with his offseason and did the same with his preseason performance. He opened training camp as the fourth tackle, behind Golston, Cornelius Griffin and Joe Salave’a, who was eventually released.
“When [Montgomery] first got here, everyone would tell you he was a little lazy,” Redskins end Phillip Daniels said. “He’s gotten out of those ways. … You look at him now and it’s like night and day. He’s come a long way.”
It wasn’t so much about the 15 pounds he lost — Montgomery said he regained a lot of it, but sculpted it better. It was about the conditioning. The coaches like to see all 11 defensive players on the screen when the ballcarrier is tackled, a sign of their hustle.
Montgomery is showing up.
“The ball could be 15 yards down the field and I’m still showing up in the film,” he said. “That’s the biggest difference.”
Assistant head coach/defense Gregg Williams said, “He had to learn how to work. He put himself in a position where he could battle through those fatigue things that he had a tough time with last year.”
Montgomery said he learned from the veterans, particularly linebacker Marcus Washington. Along with the improved training came more emphasis on little things, such as hand placement. There was also prodding from defensive line coach Greg Blache.
“He was getting on my back, trying to bring out the best in me,” Montgomery said. “It’s working. I look completely different.”
