FINDLAY, Ohio — The high school season of a four-star commit heading to one of college football's premier programs, the Georgia Bulldogs, is now over.
Findlay's star quarterback, Ryan Montgomery, a senior, announced the injury and his status Monday afternoon on social platform X.
"You just feel for him and for the family first and foremost," said Findlay head coach Stefan Adams. "Obviously, it goes right to them."
Montgomery suffered a torn ACL in week one of his senior year last Friday against Central Catholic.
"I think the thing is how emotional that makes both sides, cause there's a respect; everybody respects Ryan Montgomery," said Central Catholic head coach Greg Dempsey postgame on Friday. "Hell, we've played against Joe Burrow, we played against Brady Quinn, coached Deshone Kizer — those are all NFL quarterbacks that started in the NFL. He's that type of kid in high school."
The signal-caller is known for putting up numbers and drawing national attention.
Last season with the Trojans, Montgomery threw for 3,018 yards, 35 touchdowns and only five interceptions.
His season led to becoming a finalist for Ohio's Mr. Football award and full-ride scholarships from Florida, Michigan, Penn State, South Carolina and Georgia.
"Just a great kid, great family, and always wants more for his teammates and for everybody else than himself, and always holds himself in high regards and pushes himself so much, that way everyone else can be successful, and I don't see that as something that's going to change," Adams said.
But Montgomery's impact goes beyond Friday night lights; it's also about inspiring little kids in Findlay, too.
"I think he's a great example for our youth," said Findlay youth football coach Marc Powell. "These guys talk about him a lot, so it's going to be very interesting. Our prayers are with him, it's going to be very interesting to see how he bounces back from this and just use him as a good example for our youth."
Montgomery's road to recovery has begun and Powell says he'll be a champion throughout it.
"I think he's going to take this as a challenge. It's going to test his faith, but he's going to take this as a challenge and if anybody can rise up to that challenge it'll be him," Powell said.
Adams says he has not named a new starting quarterback yet. The Trojans face Lima Senior in a home game at 7 p.m. on Friday.