MISSOULA - The buzz around Michael Wortham's arrival from Eastern Washington to Montana was palpable, with fans well aware of the dynamic playmaking he brought to the table.
Wortham has lived up to the hype and then some as he's electrified fans, but the feeling is mutual.
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"All people talk about is how crazy it is playing here, how loud it is, stuff like that," Wortham said. "And I'm glad I'm on the right team, the right side when it gets this loud because it gets very loud, and yeah, all expectations have been met."
It's a winding football journey for Wortham, who quite literally does a little bit of everything on the field. But it's always been that way.
"Shoot, I look at all my notes and all the game plan stuff we're going over and I'm like, man, I really am memorizing a lot more than what I'm really thinking about," Wortham said. "You know, it's second nature now. So like I'm kind of used to having so much on my plate."
Wortham competed in basketball, baseball, track and field, and, of course, football early on. Growing up playing both sides of the ball in North Highlands, Calif., in Sacramento County, Wortham actually wasn't recruited out of high school until an offer to play at the junior college level appeared.
While lukewarm to the idea, Wortham says it changed the trajectory of his life.
"So I was kind of downplaying (junior college). And so I just ended up choosing juco because there was no other choice," Wortham said. "And that was honestly the best decision of my life. Could have quit, could have stopped playing because I didn't get no offers, but I decided, let's go here, let's try it out. You never know. Loved the opportunity.
"There's so many different people you meet, so many different ages, so many different areas they come from. And so it's just an experience that's just like, you don't really get anywhere else because everybody's trying to grind to get to the next level. So everybody comes with that determination, comes with that hunger. And they know they only got one shot to make it, really.
"And so just keeping that drive, keeping that mentality is just like something that's so special, just to kind of be in there. Without juco, I feel like I don't know where I'd be at. It's just one of those moments, one of those point of times of my life that I'm just super thankful for."
There, he thrived as an All-American at quarterback at Sierra College in Rocklin, Calif. But again, the offers were scarce as he exited junior college until Eastern Washington of the Big Sky Conference came calling with an opportunity. Wortham took full advantage.
Whether passing, running, catching or returning, Wortham's skills were on full display as he made the most of each chance he got and added as many responsibilities as he could.
"It got more easier because I was like, my love for the game is so big and I want my team to win so much that I'm willing to learn these plays, study extra time, watch extra film, whatever it is to make sure that whatever my teammates need while I'm on the field, that I'm going to be an asset," Wortham said.
"It's just a special position, you know, that not very many get to play. Sometimes you don't get your opportunity to be a starter, so you have to kind of help out somewhere else, so that's kind of how I took on that role, just seeing to help the team."
After garnering FCS All-America honors last season as a do-all talent for the Eagles, Wortham decided to look for something new after the NCAA ruled that athletes who competed at the junior college level were granted extra eligibility.
Once in the transfer portal, plenty of offers came in — including from FBS programs Central Michigan and New Mexico — but for the married man with a young daughter, the priority to find a home was deeper than just football.
"In the recruiting aspect, a lot of it is it's me coming to the school, me performing, me doing all this stuff, but how comfortable is my family going to be?" Wortham explained. "Where's the closest Walmart for my wife to work at? Is there daycares available? And stuff like that. I need my wife to feel as comfortable as me, because at the end of the day, we're a team.
"I don't want her to feel like she needs to leave somewhere so I can be able to live. I want her to feel like this is home, too as well. So yeah, trying to make sure that they're comfortable. My wife, she's a superhero."
It's worked out for all parties, as Wortham has been a highlight reel at Montana with goals to get the Griz all the way to the mountaintop. In UM's top-10 game against Idaho this past weekend, Wortham shined and tallied 164 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns.
Wortham has 16 rush attempts for 86 yards and a touchdown; he leads the team in receiving with 19 catches for 270 yards and two more scores, and he's racked up 227 kickoff return yards and 53 more on punt returns.
Off the field, Wortham studied business and interdisciplinary studies and graduated from EWU before joining UM. But there's one goal that's eluded him that has his focus in this final run with Montana.
"I haven't been to the playoffs my whole college career. And I just want to be able to hold a trophy up with my guys, man," Wortham said. "And that's just one of the biggest things. I fell short in high school, went to two championships and lost both. So I feel like I haven't really experienced a true championship, you know, and this is a place to win it at."
