2020 36 Blitz: Montgomery County Indians

MT. STERLING, Ky (WTVQ) – Control what you can control. It’s a saying coaches use, but it’s also solid advice. Last season, the Montgomery County Indians experienced some crippling injuries early in the season leading to a tough season.

“We had won ten and then won nine back to back years and last year won three. Week two we have nine starters out,” said Montgomery County head football coach Jamie Egli. “It’s just that’s tough, especially at a school, we’re not blessed athletically with a ton of athletes. We’ve got some good ones, but not a ton of them so it was hard.”

The Indians may have lost key pieces early, but one thing that comes with being a 5A school is you have numbers. With 90 plus on the team, guys are ready to step up when the opportunity is there..

“It’s amazing. We have everybody playing everywhere,” said senior fullback and defensive end Devin Johnson. “So we always have a fresh body. It’s great for the starters so we can get a little bit of a break and always stay fresh.”

To help those guys stay fresh this season. Head coach Jamie Egli says this year there will be some fresh, young faces taking the field.

“We’ve got a lot of kids, but we’re probably going to 11 or 12 sophomores as starters, if I had to project,” said Coach Egli. “We have a lot of young talent. Got a really good young quarterback. I like where we’re going, we just gotta work as hard as we can everyday to keep getting better and not let our inexperience be an excuse.”

Staying healthy would be a big deal for the Indians because of their district. It giveth and it taketh away. Two of their three wins last season were Grant County and Great Crossing. Both teams in their district, but also their two biggest losses of the season came to Frederick Douglass and Scott County. Also district opponents.”

“You know Frederick Douglass, I’ve lost track of how many division one kids have entered that building. And Scott County is Scott County,” said Coach Egli. “Great Crossing is gonna be really good. They have just the sheer numbers to be good and they have they Perry kid. And then Grant County and us. So it’s a very well-rounded district.”

Despite having to play that talent in season and now early in the playoffs. Egli teaches his team…just play hard and everything else will work itself out.

Jamie Egli
“You know we tell kids life ain’t fair. There’s no excuses. It doesn’t matter what the situation is, we gotta take care of us and worry about ourselves. That’s what you gotta do in life. I can’t worry about somebody else’s yard, I gotta take care of mind. So we’ve taught our kids you just keep playing. Just do whatever you can do to get better every single day and you out your best foot forward on Friday night and work as hard as you can. If we do that, good things will happen.”

Jordan Diaz
Senior OLB
“I don’t really think of it like that for me. It’s just another team and I’m just gonna go out there and give everything I got. Put everything I got on the line and you know…work my hardest.”

After notching 19 wins in two seasons, the players know they have the right guys steering the ship to get them back on course.

Jordan Diaz
“Over here we have the best coaching staff in Kentucky and pretty sure they’re gonna prepare us as well they can for next season.”