PREP PRESEASON: MA's Wingate not big but plays with a punch

Montgomery Academy linebacker Knox Wingate is the leading tackler heading into the 2025 season. (Drew Gayle)

By TIM GAYLE
At 5-foot-10, 167 pounds, Montgomery Academy middle linebacker Knox Wingate doesn’t strike fear in his opponents at first glance.

Perhaps he should. The Eagles’ leading tackler is a model of consistency who uses his intelligence and film study to put himself in the right position on virtually every running play.  

“I hear it all the time,” he said. “I’m used to being small. From the time when I first was a starter as a sophomore, I was playing at 150 pounds. I spent time trying to gain weight, but I also focused on some of the external factors -- watching film, trying to be the most prepared guy out there. Physically, I might not always appear as big and strong as some of these other guys, so I try to focus on being at the best at some of these external things.”

It’s a formula that works well for Montgomery Academy. Wingate sets the defensive alignment and more often than not (his 119 tackles last season were nearly double the second-place tackler) makes it work by making the tackle.

“Knox is special because, one, there’s not a lot of linebackers his size,” Montgomery Academy coach Ethan McBride said. “He’s about 165 pounds, yet he’s the leading tackler on the team. What we do is complex on defense. The players are making the calls, it’s not me from the sideline most of the time. So when we call things on defense, it’s a multiple call, so he’s getting us in whatever front we need to be in, he’s checking our pressures, he handles all of that.

“It’s testament to him, it’s a testament to his football IQ. He’s been starting for three years at inside linebacker but he’s a smart kid in general. He’s got a 4.1 GPA, he’s passed five AP courses before his senior year, he’s nationally qualified for the speech and debate team. He tries to pursue excellence in everything he does.”

Montgomery Academy’s defense returns virtually intact from last year’s 10-2 season, needing to shore up the defensive front with depth but one of the major strengths of a talented squad preparing for its 2025 season opener on Aug. 22 at Tallassee.

“I don’t think much has changed over last year other than the fact that we’ve got a bunch of guys that are more experienced,” Wingate said. “If you look at Braden (Gordon) and how great he was with all those sacks, he was only a sophomore last year. We were young last year and they’re coming back with more experience, They’ve been putting in a lot of work in the offseason. And we’ve got a couple of guys that weren’t quite ready to contribute last year and this year they’re ready to make that step.”

And the guy putting the MA defense in position to be successful is its senior linebacker who makes all the calls on the field.

“I love it,” Wingate said. “It’s something I’ve worked on a lot. And from the time I started until now I’ve made a lot of progress. I used to just be running around like a crazy person and now I have it under control.

“I think that’s one of our strongest attributes on defense is we’re so multiple. And I might be the one making the calls, but everyone still has to do their part and they’ve got to know what to do for these constantly changing calls so it’s not just me, it’s all these other guys that make it happen. They have to know as much as I do. I just get to be the guy that says it.”

Not only does he say it, but he often backs it up by hurling his 167-pound frame at the opposing runner and bringing him to the ground, not an easy task as opposing linemen are trying to keep him from making the play.

“I don’t know if that can happen at the 6A, 7A level,” McBride said. “but at our level of football, very intelligent kids that fit our scheme and can stay clean and can keep from getting blocked have opportunities to have a lot of success out there.”

Knox says he does it by “studying their O-line, studying how our D-line moves, setting myself up. By the time I get to the game, I’ve seen this a thousand times. Just being able to put myself in position to stay clean, try and avoid getting blocked as best as I can and from there it’s just technique. I’ll never be the guy that can lay somebody out with a big hit but I secure the tackle and focus on doing my part.”