MISSOULA — The journey from southern California to Missoula wasn't a daunting one for Aaron Fontes.
He was excited for something new, and the talented athlete and now senior for the Grizzlies embraced the journey to Montana. It's safe to say it's been a perfect match.
"Big Sky country, I love it. I love everything about it," Fontes said. "When they say it, I'm always looking up at the sky, especially at night. You could go up in the mountains, and then, it's not that much light pollution.
"So it's like you're seeing every star that's out there. And I love that, just having that time to myself, I could just drive out anywhere, kind of find a nice little spot at where I could just sit and just chill and look up at the sky and just think about life."
But life in Missoula seemed unlikely when Fontes was emerging as a dynamic high school football and track and field athlete in California. College football took a minute to gain true traction until UM assistant coach Justin Green came calling.
"Coach Green said, well, we don't give out visits to dudes we don't offer. The University of Montana will give you an offer. And I was like, whoa," Fontes said with a smile. "Like, it was shocking. I think it was like, a Wednesday, Thursday night after school, and I'm on the phone. I'm like, 'Oh Lord. I just got offered,' and I felt like I knew it was a true offer for, you know, the wide receiver position. I was happy."
Fontes has been a contributor for the Grizzlies right out of the gates as a freshman at wide receiver.
After playing sparingly in 2021, he began to regularly crack into the rotation in 2022, before becoming a full-fledged starter and high-volume target last season.
"I don't take it for granted that they played me as a true freshman, and just showing that, you know, they trusted my ability to help the team out, freshly out of high school," he said.
It was a dream come true, as Fontes was able to follow in the footsteps of his older brother, Jamal Smith, who Fontes looked up.
"I always looked up to my brother, and he was my biggest role model," Fontes said. "I'm always going to his basketball games, football games, cheering on for him, especially at the time, coming out of Oxnard High School, he committed to Utah.
"Just playing the sport that I love for everybody, just knowing that, you know, they want to see me keep playing and excelling."
Fontes has also experienced it with lifelong friend Xavier Harris, who as kids who came to Montana and have found plenty of success leading up to their senior years having grown up together.
"You know, he could come to me whenever he's not feeling well, and, you know, I could come talk to him when I'm not feeling well," Fontes said. "So just knowing that we're both here together is, it's lovely, honestly. And just knowing that I have my brother out here with me, I like it."
So Fontes is winding down his career as a key cog in Montana's high-powered offense, looking to make more highlight-reel memories, something he's been prone to his entire time with the Griz.
In his career, Fontes has caught 108 passes for 1,216 yards and seven touchdowns. He's also ran for a score, which came this season in Week 2 against North Dakota.
Off the field, Fontes will graduate from UM in the spring with a degree in anthropology and is leaning toward working in archaeology. Inspired by his grandmother who was a geologist, Fontes said he hopes to discover something someday that society can use.
Whether it's football or elsewhere, he loves to learn, and experience new things, and enjoying the ride along the way.
"I'm happy that I'm out here just being able to, you know, have this experience, to be out here, away from home, and chasing my dream," Fontes said. "Just really enjoying the time I have with them boys in the locker room and the coaches, you know, those connections I have.
"So I'm just trying to, you know, take it in, love up every guy in there, showing them the love that I have. It's reflecting from them to me, back and forth. Just trying to take in every moment that I got."
