BOZEMAN — Khari Garcia sat in the post-game press conference, a megawatt smile on his face and the afro of his youth flowing atop his head adorn with a camouflage bandana.
His smile celebrated a breakout performance. Hours earlier, the redshirt freshman had snared a key interception and returned it 45 yards for a touchdown. The score thrust Garcia into the spotlight in a proven defensive backfield that already included Bryson Keeton, now of the New York Jets, All-Big Sky safety Rob Marshall and the late Eryon Barnett, a talented former transfer from Texas who mentored Garcia before passing away in the summer of 2015.
While Garcia’s smile lit up the room that day in September of 2014, his answers were short and his shyness in front of the cameras showed through. His charisma in the way he carries himself has always been noticeable. But his ability to connect with others in a place so far outside his comfort zone did not come easily.
“I remember living on the same floor as him in the dorms our freshmen year and he didn’t let anyone in,” Montana State senior captain linebacker Mac Bignell.
Montana State senior Khari Garcia in 2014 following MSU’s homecoming win
Following that breakout performance against UND in a 29-18 homecoming victory, hardship, pain and instability trademarked Garcia’s next few years at Montana State.
The fifth-year safety from Covina, California has never had a problem cracking the starting lineup. His penchant for hard hits and his fearless nature have always set him apart in Montana State’s secondary.
Although he’s endured adversity, he’s also shown tremendous toughness, perseverance and growth during his five years in Bozeman. Despite two major shoulder surgeries, he’s only missed one game in the last four years.
Off the field, his progress has helped him develop from the little brother of the veteran Bobcat defensive backs and a fringe personality once his mentors left into a captain as a junior and a respected leader as a senior. He has endured a coaching transition, embracing the tenets Jeff Choate has put before him. That acceptance of working hard has changed him for the better and helped him manage some major life milestones along the way.
About 16 months ago, Garcia’s world changed forever when his daughter, Scarlet, was born. In December, he will become the first member of his immediately family to graduate from college. Navigating all the tumult and evolution of the last five years has fortified the 22-year-old for his future.
“I think Khari is a tremendous success story,” Choate said on Monday. “He is going to get his degree here. He’s battled through some on the field things, some off the field things, some personal things that not a lot of guys survive. I have a lot of respect for guys who persevere through adversity and that’s who Khari is. He’s a survivor.”
Montana State senior Khari Garcia takes on UND running back Brady Oliviera last season
Although Garcia’s family hails from the greater Los Angeles area, you often times can find his father, EZ, and his mother, Sharon, at Montana State games both home and away. His mother attended MSU’s ‘Gold Rush’ game in front of a sold out crowd two weeks ago. His father has spent months at a time living in Bozeman, particularly since Scarlet was born in June of 2016.
Montana State hired Choate in December of 2015. Following having his second surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder — he has his right shoulder repaired in the off-season before the 2015 season — Garcia missed the first spring football session under Choate in 2016.
Despite only being able to display his skill set for less than a month during fall camp before last season, Garcia earned the tag as team captain. He also earned the starting free safety spot next to hard-hitting Bryson McCabe in MSU’s defensive backfield. But off the field, Garcia’s head was spinning as he tried to adjust to being a father and a Division I athlete at the same time.
MSU safety Khari Garcia tackles Eastern Washington All-American Cooper Kupp
“Tough, so tough,” Garcia said when asked about the adjustment. “Last year was the longest year as far as adjusting. Going into the season, not really having babysitters, sometimes I had to take her to school with me. My dad came up and helped for a few months. This year, I started figuring it out. I wanted to do it by myself and make sure I can be an adult and start looking in advance for babysitters during football season and things like that to make it easier on me. Last year was pretty tough.”
“I think it’s changed my perspective as far as not living my life just for myself,” Garcia said. “I’m living life for a whole other person who is dependent on me for food and clothing and life. It’s not just myself so it’s made me grow up a lot and make sure my priorities are straight, always her first and then whatever I have to take care of after that is second, even myself. It’s a good sacrifice to me. It’s worth it. I love every part of it.”
The 5-foot-10, 195-pounder has never shied away from contact. He carved out a reputation as Montana State’s hardest hitter from his freshman year on. McCabe has challenged him for that crown over the last three years, something that’s only spurred Garcia on.
“Him and Bryson are probably our two hardest hitters. Khari very much a tone setter,” said Bignell, a hard hitter himself. “He makes plays that go unnoticed. That’s the tale of his career: he does a lot more for this team than people realize.”
Montana State’s Khari Garcia makes bit hit against Montana in 2014
“Two months after getting surgery, he was walking around already and trying to find more work,” Khari said. “To me, that’s the definition of toughness.”
That 2014 season served as Montana State’s last successful campaign before a fall from grace. An inconsistent defense led to prolific point totals for opponents. For as many hard hits as Garcia has put on opponents — his 15-tackle performance at Cal Poly in 2014 is a prime example — he’s had as many flawed tackling angles on a defense that gave up big plays prolifically in 2015’s meltdown.
Choate’s description of Garcia as a survivor has been proven throughout his two seasons playing for MSU’s hard-charging head coach. Garcia’s redshirt freshman season serves as his best statistically: 51 tackles, a tackle for loss, two interceptions and four pass breakups. That 2015 season, he made 36 tackles and broke up four passes but MSU’s porous defense led to a 5-6 season, Montana State’s first losing campaign since 2001. Following the year, Montana State fired successful head coach Rob Ash. Garcia has not flinched.
“It wasn’t that big of an adjustment just because of the simple fact that I had teammates like McCabe and West Wilson, guys who I have been here with and to me, it became the point of me playing for them instead of playing for myself or worrying about the coaching staff or the coaching changes,” Garcia said. “We all went through it together. It changed for the better, personally.”
Khari Garcia guards Mitch Greibel in practice
“He’s going to be successful in life because he has that mindset,” Choate said. “Whether we ask him to cover kickoffs or whether we ask him to line up in the slot against Washington State, he gives us his best. That’s one of the things I truly appreciate about him.
“He’s matured a lot in terms of his decision making, in terms of him understanding what being man is all about, what he’s going to have to do being a man moving forward to make his life better and his family’s life better. It’s a great story in that regard. Life doesn’t always go like you think it’s going to go. There’s a lot of curveballs that are thrown at you.”
The man who’s nickname is Budah has never minded a curveball. In fact, he’s taken everything thrown his way head on. Garcia acknowledges living in Montana has made him “very comfortable with being uncomfortable.” He has forged “brotherhoods” with players who came before him, like Barnett and Keeton along with classmates like former linebacker Blake Braun, McCabe, and senior safety West Wilson.
Garcia also acknowledges the way Choate has changed his life. The priority and constant demand for the Bobcats to embrace a “blue collar mentality” has been crucial. Garcia does not fear hard work. Because of Choate, he says he embraces it. He credits Choate for “instilling good habits” in him, something he said he “will appreciate forever.”
Montana State safety Khari Garcia at Portland State in 2015
In December, Garcia will earn his degree in sociology. His cousin, Bryce Bobo, is a starting receiver at Colorado who is also closing in on his degree. The two came up together and played at Charter Oak with each other. They still call each other every day to ensure the grind is on track for completion. For Garcia, he calls graduation his biggest personal accomplishment in his life. Choate echoes those sentiments with pride.
“In my experience in this business, very few kids could show the perseverance that Khari has shown while he’s here,” Choate said. “From that standpoint, he’s a great role model for a lot of our guys. It hasn’t always gone his way yet he’s still here, still standing, still fighting, still trying to help us win games. That’s awesome.”
Photos by Brooks Nuanez. Brooks Nuanez contributed to the reporting of this story. All Rights Reserved.
