“And the home of the brave…”

When “The Star-Spangled Banner” comes to an end on the field, the game begins. 

After that first whistle blows, Coppell junior linebacker Madden Montague turns nerves into fire.

Under the bright lights, Montague is ready to the very last second, and when he steps on the field, everything locks into place. 

Then begins his performance of predicting opposing offensive plays and shutting them down as the first defender to the ball carrier.

Montague’s offensive roots, developed since second grade, allow him to see the game through a quarterback’s eyes.

“My dream was always to be a quarterback,” Montague said. “In middle school, I wanted to be the leader, so I went for quarterback, and looking back now, it was all worth it.”

Being a high school quarterback was Montague’s lifelong dream, even playing both linebacker and quarterback in middle school. However, he realized where he truly belonged after a lengthy discussion with Coppell football coach Antonio Wiley. 

So, he switched his leadership to the defensive side of the ball.

“Coach Wiley told me how we needed leadership on the defensive side and how I can really tackle,” Montague said. “He sees a different vision within me and how I can use my quarterback vision on defense.”

Now, Montague has become a leader. On and off the field, he continues to tune his skills and show who he truly is: a Cowboy.

“He is the epitome of what a Coppell Cowboy is and should be,” Wiley said. “He’s very coachable, and seeing him succeed on defense has been great.” 

That quality of being coachable comes from the grind of early morning practices, discipline and hard work. All are things that lead Montague to accept praise, but he knows he can improve. 

“It’s awesome to hear people say good things,” Montague said. “But I definitely need to improve. You can talk the talk, but you need to walk the walk as well.”

The adrenaline of the games he plays are unlike the adrenaline he has felt before.

“After that first snap, everything kind of goes away and you just have one goal,” Montague said. “You just go out there and do it for your team and your family.”

Now under the Friday night lights, he is lined up, looking into the eyes of the opposing quarterback, predicting where they are going to go and always aiming for the legs. 

“That’s my move. I do the ‘rugby tackle’,” Montague said. “It doesn’t matter how big they are, if they can’t move their legs, they can’t run. Wrap their legs and they fall.” 

These moves are demonstrated every game, but on Sept. 12 at Buddy Echols Field, Montague sacked Arlington Bowie senior quarterback Jayden Bibbs by the legs, holding onto him and dragging him down, which earned him the team’s Defensive Player of the Week. 

However, football is more than just tackles and awards. It is about the brotherhood forming when players share the same grind every morning and night.

“He’s always checking up on someone whenever they mess up,” senior cornerback Tyrell Roberson said. “He tells them to keep their heads high and keep going, and he is a bright star in a room.”

That sense of brotherhood also fuels his ability to lift teammates, a quality rooted in Montague’s own struggles with confidence. 

“I get in my head a lot, and I know others do too,” Montague said. “I never want to put people down, because I know they didn’t try to make a mistake. Everyone’s trying to win.”

This mindset fuels Montague’s drive, whether in film sessions, school or early morning practices. Balancing it all is not easy, but he has learned to handle the pressure by remembering why he plays.

“Football teaches you so many aspects of life you’ll need for the future,” Montague said. “Discipline, balance, character. And it all comes with the game.”

As district play for the Cowboys quickly approaches, Montague is not thinking too far ahead, only about what is directly in front of him. A mindset instilled by Wiley.

“Coach always says you just have to go 1–0,” Montague said. “You can’t think about the past or the future. Just this game, this moment.”

For Montague, that moment begins when the national anthem ends, when nerves turn to fire and the whistle blows. 

As long as he is on the field, his standard is simple: keep leading, keep tackling and keep raising the bar.

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