It isn’t easy having a famous father, especially if you are following in his footsteps by pursuing his passion.
Montigo Moss would know.
His father, wide receiver Randy Moss, was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2018 after catching 982 passes for 15,292 yards and 156 touchdowns for five teams during his 218-game career.
“I just see him as a dad as anybody else would see their father,” said the University of Maine wide receiver.
Montigo Moss’ lineage makes him one of the biggest names to ever play for UMaine and stunned fans when he committed to the school in 2020. The junior had his best game in a Black Bear uniform last Saturday in a 21-18 loss to Colgate in which he caught his first collegiate career touchdown.
He is the team’s second-leading receiver behind senior tight end Shawn Bowman with six catches for 55 yards through UMaine’s first two games.
On Saturday, Moss caught four passes for 36 yards including the TD reception, a 7-yarder from Joe Fagnano with 4:02 left that put the Black Bears within striking distance in the game’s final minute.
Moss and the 0-2 Football Championship Subdivision Black Bears will take on Football Bowl Subdivision Boston College, also 0-2, in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, on Saturday night at 7:30 p.m.
Moss is being featured more prominently after the departure of last year’s All-Colonial Athletic Association receivers Devin Young and Andre Miller.
“I have a bigger role this year so I have to come up with bigger plays, better plays and I need to be more consistent,” Moss said. “I have to involve myself more.”
While Saturday’s game was his first touchdown reception, it wasn’t his first touchdown. That came last season in a 34-24 loss to Delaware by returning a blocked punt 4 yards.
Starting quarterback Fagnano said Moss’ offense gets better every day as he understands the game and sees coverages better.
“He can run, he can catch, everything you need in a receiver,” Fagnano said. “I see a big, bright future for him.”
Moss, who caught eight passes for 136 yards a year ago, wants to “do more” this season by getting open, making catches and improving his blocking.
“Blocking at the perimeter is something we stress here and he has done a pretty good job of it,” Fagnano said.
Tight end Bowman said Moss has “sneaky speed and runs very good pass routes” and that his ball skills are tremendous.
First-year UMaine head coach Jordan Stevens said Moss has the “best hands on the team.”
“They will throw him a pass in practice that won’t even look catchable and, next thing you know, he sticks his hand out and it’s a grab,” Bowman said.
When UMaine sophomore cornerback Kahzir “Buggs” Brown defends Moss in practice, he said he specifically tries to keep Moss’ hands away from the ball.
“His hands are crazy,” Brown said.
The 6-foot-1, 208-pound Moss, a native of Charlotte, North Carolina, caught 56 passes for 1256 yards and 14 touchdowns at Fork Union Military Academy in Virginia his senior year before coming to UMaine.
He appeared in three of four games during the abbreviated four-game spring schedule a year and a half ago and caught one pass.
The business management major will have two years of eligibility remaining after this season.
He said having a high-profile father hasn’t had a major influence on him and his role at UMaine.
“He will watch the film with me and dissect it. He will tell me what I did well and what I did wrong and what I can improve on,” Moss said.
Moss said the best piece of advice his father has given him is take it one play at a time.
“So instead of looking at the bigger picture, just focus on that play,” Moss said.
Bowman said Moss takes things in stride.
“To us, he’s just Tigo. He’s not Randy Moss’ son. He’s just another guy who has a story like we all do.”