University of Georgia Athletics
Quick Chat: Monty Rice
December 21, 2018 | Football, The Frierson Files
By John Frierson
Staff Writer
Monty Rice learned a lot playing and practicing with Roquan Smith last season. If you were an upcoming Georgia linebacker, there was no better tutor or mentor than Smith, the Butkus Award winner now starring for the Chicago Bears.
Rice, from Madison, Ala., near Huntsville, is No. 5 Georgia's second-leading tackler with 59 stops this season despite missing the past four games due to injury. During a wide-ranging Quick Chat after Thursday's practice, Rice talked about learning from Smith, his admiration for LeBron James, his best present, eating chicken wings and much more.
Here's some of what he had to say:
Frierson: If you could play with or against anybody in history, who would it be?
Rice: Football?
Frierson: Whatever sport works for you.
Rice: I'm a LeBron James fan and I definitely want LeBron on my team, to help him take down the Warriors. I'm no basketball player but if I could play with anyone, it would be LeBron James.
Frierson: There's obviously a million things to like about LeBron but what is it about him that you like so much?
Rice: I don't look up to many people, because I feel like I don't need to, but LeBron James is a special person. He does everything the right way, he's a role model, somebody I look up to. He's just amazing. What he does for his city, his state, what he does for people all across the world — I mean, he has all that money and he decides he wants to build and open a school and send 20,000 kids to college.
Frierson: As a student-athlete, as someone that hopes to be a professional athlete, does that inspire you to try to mark your own mark, even if it's in a smaller universe than what LeBron is able to do?
Rice: Yeah, because I didn't have a lot when I was growing up. For me to make a difference in somebody else's life, that was similar to mine growing up, that would be awesome.
Frierson: What other sports did you play growing up and how would you rate your abilities in those sports?
Rice: I stink at basketball — I'm good at defense and rebounding, but I can't shoot free throws to save my life. I ran track, I was good at that, and I did soccer when I was little. It was too soft ... not that soccer is a soft sport, but as aggressive as I was and I was bigger than a lot of the other kids, I kept getting (carded).
Frierson: Did you get a lot of red cards or just yellow?
Rice: I've been kicked out of a few games.
Frierson: We've got the holidays coming up, so what's the best present you've ever received?
Rice: Really, being able to play at the University of Georgia has been my best present. This season didn't quite go how we wanted it to, but, heck, my class is spoiled. We've been to the Rose Bowl, played for the national championship, won the SEC, played for the SEC championship again this year and now we've got a chance to play in the Sugar Bowl — we've been spoiled.
We've had a Butkus winner on our team, a Jim Thorpe Award winner (Deandre Baker), those are UGA legends now, Roquan and Bake, so it's been nice.
Frierson: Speaking of Roquan, how much did you learn from playing with him last season?
Rice: Oh, I learned a lot. Roquan's a smart dude and he's very instinctual. You know how some dudes might be like, "He's coming to take my spot." Roquan wasn't like that, and I think that rubbed off on me because now I'm the same way. Guys like Channing Tindall and Quay Walker, I believe in those guys and every chance I can, when they as me a question I'm going to answer it.
If I were in that position I would want them to help me, like Roquan helped me, and you saw in the SEC Championship Game, Channing went in and may a big play when he was in. We've got to have multiple guys ready to come in ... I love those dudes and I'd do anything for them.
Frierson: Who's the funniest guy on the team?
Rice: It might be Divaad (Wilson), Tyson Campbell or Netori Johnson. I think those are my three.
Frierson: Interesting, you're one of the rare guys to not include Richard LeCounte in your answer.
Rice: Oh, yeah! I forgot about Rich! It's between all of them; Rich always has something to say.
Frierson: What's something you could eat every day and never get tired of it?
Rice: Wings from American Deli. I love wings.
Frierson: Do you have a whole system? When I asked Natrez Patrick this question he went on for five minutes about ordering this or that.
Rice: I just go to American Deli and depending on how I'm feeling that day, I probably get 10 hot, boneless or bone-in, with lemon pepper sprinkles, and that's all I need.
Frierson: What's something really old-school that you're into, like music or cars?
Rice: I like Tupac a lot and I like Eazy-E, you know who that is? I love Eazy and I listen to a lot of his music.
Frierson: What's a Christmas like back home?
Rice: I don't really want anything for Christmas, I just want to see my family and my cousins.
Frierson: Is there a dish that you're looking forward to eating when you get home?
Rice: I'm not really into Thanksgiving or Christmas food, that's not really my thing. I don't know why. I just like being around my family, that's all I need.
(This Q&A was lightly edited for length and clarity.)
John Frierson is the staff writer for the UGA Athletic Association and curator of the ITA Men's Tennis Hall of Fame. You can find his work at: Frierson Files. He's also on Twitter: @FriersonFiles and @ITAHallofFame.
