During his senior season at Concord De La Salle High School last fall, quarterback Nate Montana didn't exactly set the world on fire. He was the third-stringer, and he finished the season 12-of-19 for 166 yards and one touchdown passing, plus 33 yards on 17 carries running. But when your dad is Joe Montana, maybe the greatest quarterback ever to play the game, people look at you and see potential. So 30 years after Joe Montana's senior season at Notre Dame, Nate Montana is following in his footsteps and will be a walk-on for the Fighting Irish. Joe says there was no pressure on his end:
"In the end I told him, 'Look, don't go to school for me, don't go to school for mom, you got to do what you got to do and go to the school you'll be happiest at if football doesn't work out,'" Joe Montana says, "and he chose Notre Dame."Although some Notre Dame fans will be excited just to see the name "Montana" on the roster, it's certainly not realistic to think that Nate can be the kind of player his father was, and it's probably not even realistic to think Nate will play in anything more than mop-up duty. Then again, Joe Montana came to South Bend as the seventh-string quarterback. Things turned out OK for him.
ADVERTISEMENT
_thumbnail.jpg "NASCAR Cowboy Hats")
Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 1)
1. 'But when your dad is Joe Montana, DEFINITELY the greatest quarterback ever to play the game...'
/fixed
Posted at 1:00PM on May 15th 2008 by August West
2. He will get a great world-class education.
Posted at 2:23PM on May 15th 2008 by Jim
3. With "Spygate" cheater Charlie Weis as his Head Coach Nate should get a world class education in football.
Posted at 6:47AM on May 16th 2008 by Steve
4. Clearly I have NO idea what the talent level was/is at Nates' high school, but for the coaches there to make Joe Montanas' kid THIRD string is mind boggling! Don't get me wrong, there's too much that kind of B.S. that goes on in the world where people get jobs/promotions because of who they know, but come on...JOE MONTANAS' kid was third string!?!
Posted at 9:41AM on May 16th 2008 by Tony
5. Nate , as does his younger brother goes to De La Salle, you know the school that holds the record for the most consecutive wins. Not sure, but something like thirteen seasons without a loss, taking on some of the top teams in the West coast.
He came their late, I believe his junior year, a little too late to be learning the system. The coaches did well to actually have him playing due to the fact that the other two qb's ran the system very well.
I hope he does well at ND, his father is doing the best that he can, but I'd have chosen a different school if he wants to play
QB.
I'm sure he will do well at ND. Not sure he will
Posted at 11:08AM on May 16th 2008 by throw46
6. He was third string for one of the best high school programs in the nation, I'm sure he cannot be the worst thing they could get. Look at that great high school quaterback at LSU, Oh I mean former quaterback at LSU.
Posted at 9:41PM on May 16th 2008 by Steven Kuberg
7. even if he doesn't make the team he will still be very sucessful in life
Posted at 1:16PM on May 18th 2008 by ben dover
8. Notre Dame QB..run for your life kid
Posted at 6:10PM on May 19th 2008 by cj
9. Even if Joe's son has been accepted to Notre Dame as a third string quarterback is no guarantee he is going to be successful. Not all father and son QB's turn pro as the Mannings have.
Posted at 8:48PM on May 19th 2008 by John