September 4th 2024.
Boulder - It was a moment that left the stadium in complete silence. Steven Montez, the former quarterback for the CU Buffs, recalls the feeling of the crowd going from a roaring sea of red to a quiet church. "I just remember it being dead quiet in the stadium," Montez shared with me over the phone on Tuesday. "That was the thing that stuck out to me the most."
It was a game against Nebraska six years ago, and Montez vividly remembers the play that changed everything. Laviska Shenault, a standout receiver for the Buffs, made an incredible catch on a "go" route, securing a game-winning touchdown and a 33-28 victory for CU. It was a moment that Montez will never forget.
But it wasn't just the game-winning play that stuck with Montez. He also remembers the moments leading up to it, like when his teammate Jay MacIntyre was hit hard on third down, giving Montez a second chance at scoring. And of course, the sweet silence that followed after the touchdown.
Montez also recalls some friendly trash talk he exchanged with Nebraska linebacker Dedrick Young II, who was a friend of his teammate Brett Tonz. "What did you say?" I asked. There was a brief pause before Montez replied with a laugh, "I don't know if it's appropriate for print." But in the heat of the moment, it didn't matter. Montez could tell that Young was seething with anger, but he didn't say a word in response.
However, Montez now considers Young a friend, except when it comes to the Color That Shall Not Be Named Week – the week when CU and Nebraska face off on the football field. "I'd rather be dead than red," Montez joked, referencing the school colors of the Cornhuskers.
The rivalry between these two teams is strong, and it never seems to die. Since 1964, CU has played in Lincoln 24 times, winning only five of those games. And over the past 60 years, only two CU quarterbacks have beaten Nebraska twice: Darian Hagan and Montez. But now, Shedeur Sanders, the current quarterback for the Buffs, has the opportunity to join this elite group.
"I knew it was going to be loud," Montez recalled of CU's last visit to Lincoln. "But then you get there, and especially on the last drive of the game, I couldn't even hear myself clap for the snap. I just felt my hands touch. I don't know how anyone heard me. It's like the crowd noise is pouring over your body."
Montez's advice for Sanders is simple – when it comes to playing in Big Red Country, actions speak louder than words. "The secret, first and foremost, is to deal with the crowd noise," Montez shared. "I've played in a lot of different places – I've played at Autzen Stadium, I've played at the Big House – but Lincoln is, by far, the loudest environment I've played in over my career. If you can deal with the crowd noise, you have a real chance."
And after watching Sanders and the Buffs take on North Dakota State last Thursday, Montez believes they have a really, really, really good chance. "The way Travis is playing, the way Shedeur is playing, the way Jimmy Horn Jr. is playing," Montez said, "if they can get the ball to those guys, they're going to be tough to stop. Even comparing myself to Shedeur, his level of efficiency has surpassed what I put on tape. He's playing some of the best ball that I've ever seen from a CU quarterback."
Coming from Montez, who threw for 63 touchdowns as a Buff, this is high praise for Sanders. But Montez believes that Sanders' performance can be attributed to the strong protection he receives from his offensive line. "The way he played last year, with the protection he got, it was honestly pretty mind-blowing to see him play that well while getting hit and sacked so many times," Montez said.
At 6-foot-5 and 230 pounds, Montez had the perfect body for an NFL quarterback. He had a strong arm and an easy, quick release. But the pro game can be unpredictable, and after brief stints with Washington and Detroit in the NFL, as well as the Seattle Sea Dragons of the XFL, Montez signed with the CFL's Edmonton Elks this past January and was added to the team's "retired" list in May.
Now, Montez is back on the sidelines, but this time as a QB coach at San Marin High School in California. He had dabbled in coaching last year and found it to be fulfilling. "It brought me a lot of peace and fulfillment working with these kids," Montez shared. "So I really wanted to do it again. I had so much fun coaching these kids – I had a blast last year."
However, Montez still has plenty of gas left in the tank, and he hasn't ruled out a return to the field. "I mean, if the situation is right, I would definitely love to come back and play again," Montez said. "I still feel young, still feel in my prime."
He still loves proving doubters wrong and being the underdog. And speaking of underdogs, CU is a seven-point underdog heading into Saturday night's game against Nebraska. But that's nothing new for Montez. "I thought the initial vibe coming into that game was that they thought we were going to show up and they were just going to roll us or something," Montez reminisced. "It felt like all the fans were really confident they were going to beat us that day. And it didn't end up shaking out like that."
But will the rivalry between CU and Nebraska continue? "Nebraska's not going to renew that contract, are they?" Montez asked me. "Not anytime soon," I replied. Another pause. "After going 0-3," Montez chuckled, "I wouldn't want to play us, either."
The rivalry may be on hold for now, but Montez and all of us will always cherish those moments on the field. And as Montez put it, "We're all going to miss it."
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