OC Watch : Shane Montgomery

The hunt for Buffalo’s next offensive coordinator continues. While the Bulls have interviewed Joe Dailey they are also looking at Shane Montgomery.

If you’re a “slightly” older Buffalo fan that name might ring a bell.

Montgomery was the Miami Redhawks coach from 2005 to 2008. In an era when the MAC east was perhaps historically bad he managed to win the division twice but back then the MAC was a “one bowl” conference and his inability to win the conference meant Miami never bowled under his tenure.

He was let go in 2008, then bounced around a little bit as an offensive coordinator.

Akron in 2009, at Youngstown from 2010-2017, Charlotte in 2018, and he is currently at JMU.

He’s had some real success in the role, especially recently at JMU. Under his watch in 2019 the Dukes led the FCS completion percentage (70.6%) and fourth-down offense (88.9%). They ranked second on third down (53.6%), third in first downs (24.81), fourth in pass efficiency (169.44), sixth in the red zone (91.7%), seventh in time of possession (33:14) and 10th in rushing (242.9).

JMU has been ranked and made deep runs in the FCS playoffs each of the last two seasons. Primarily behind a very potent offensive attack.

He was also successful at Youngstown. But he’s never stuck long enough at an FBS school to see how he would perform as an OC.

Akron let their entire staff go after 2009, and Charlotte let their staff go in 2018. It’s hard to judge based on one season, when the situation you walk into is already unstable.

I’m not seeing any obvious overlap with newly minted Buffalo coach Maurice Linguist. But Montgomery is in Amherst today, so I’d have to imagine he is under consideration as a guy to take over Buffalo’s offense.