By Charlie Perlman, NUSports.com
Montae Pate believes he is the best chess player in college football.
When he’s getting treatment in the training room, he’s playing three-minute blitz games online. When he’s with teammates, he’s finding opponents willing to test his skills. Some players see the field in X’s and O’s, but for Pate, it’s his own personal chessboard.
“The thing that I love about chess is it kind of correlates with cornerback,” Pate said. “You have to dictate the relationship and be one step ahead. If you're reacting, you're losing.”
After four years at Weber State, culminating in an All-Big Sky Defensive First Team selection, Pate entered the transfer portal. His visit to Evanston came with some nerves, but it also gave him an opportunity to showcase the football knowledge that had helped shape his career.
During his visit, the 6-foot-2 defensive back drew detailed concepts on a whiteboard for defensive backs coach LaMarcus Hicks. While some of the concepts had different names than those Hicks used, Pate demonstrated a strong understanding of the defense and the position. His connection with Hicks, positive conversations with the rest of the coaching staff and welcoming messages from current players ultimately solidified his decision to spend his final year of eligibility at Northwestern.
“What made Northwestern the perfect fit for me was the physicality, mentality and brotherhood that the team plays with,” Pate said. “It’s like you are playing for the man next to you. That’s ultimately how teams win, when you are playing for your brother.”
That team-first mentality was on display in the Wildcats season opener against South Dakota State, as the Northwestern secondary consistently came up with plays to stop the Jackrabbits in the red zone. The Wildcats recorded 13 pass breakups, the most in a game for the program since at least 2004.
In his first game as a Big Ten player, Pate recorded one of those 13 pass breakups, along with five total tackles, including four solo stops. His performance was part of a smooth transition to the FBS that defensive coordinator Tim McGarigle has noticed since Pate arrived in Evanston.
“Montae got better every play of every quarter, and he's gotten better every day of practice,” McGarigle said. “I'm excited to see his progress and I think he's going to truly get better every single week.”
Growing up as the youngest of six siblings, Pate was no stranger to competition. He started playing football in second grade, but it wasn’t until his sophomore year of high school that he became serious about playing at the next level, making the transition from wide receiver to cornerback full time.
That commitment paid off. As a senior, Pate was named to the All-Southern Nevada Team and earned First Team 5A Defense honors at Legacy High School in Las Vegas after recording two interceptions while allowing opposing wide receivers just five receptions throughout the season.
At Weber State, Pate began to emerge during his redshirt sophomore season, recording 34 total tackles, including eight in an upset win against No. 8 Montana, and an interception returned for a touchdown against Lamar. He continued that development in his final season, setting career highs in several categories. Pate’s 10 pass breakups tied for the 10th-most in a single season in Weber State history, while his 40 solo tackles ranked second on the team.
“Since my first year of college football, I’d say I've matured a lot,” Pate said. “Sometimes people can get caught up with being complacent or the excitement of things, but it ultimately opened my eyes to understand what type of path I want to be on and helped me narrow my focus on my development and staying focused on trying to get to the next level.”