Penn State football: Former No. 1 in-state RB makes transfer portal announcement

Another former Nittany Lion has found a landing spot out of the transfer portal. London Montgomery, the one-time top running back in the Keystone State for the 2023 recruiting cycle, announced his commitment to East Carolina over the weekend. The former Scranton Prep star exited a crowded Penn State football backfield this spring after one season in State College.

London Montgomery transfers to East Carolina

London Montgomery was a 247Sports Composite four-star prospect and the top running back in Pennsylvania for the class of 2023. A top-10 recruit in the state, the Scranton Prep standout had offers from major programs like Michigan, Michigan State, Louisville, Iowa, and Arizona State, among others. Ultimately, the 5-10, 180-pound rusher decided to stay home and committed to Penn State football.

A knee injury sidelining him for his senior year, London Montgomery had all the makings of a hidden gem upon arriving in Happy Valley. However, Penn State football fans did not see Montgomery’s skills in action, redshirting in his lone season with the Nittany Lions. 

Montgomery did return to the field this spring, carrying the ball five times for eight yards in the Blue-White Game. Ultimately, that would be the first and last time we would see London Montgomery on the field in a Penn State uniform; the redshirt freshman entered the transfer portal on May 2.

After a little over two weeks in the transfer portal, Montgomery has decided to take his talents to East Carolina University. The Ex-Nittany Lion made the choice public on Saturday afternoon. The Pirates went 2-10 last year in the AAC.

Committed🙌🏾🤞🏾 pic.twitter.com/e1utIbuGZH

— London Montgomery (@LondonMontgom11) May 18, 2024

Penn State running back room still trending up in 2024

Despite the loss of London Montgomery, Penn State’s running back room should still be in great shape this fall. Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen make up one of the best tailback duos in the country. As freshmen, the pair combined for 1,928 yards and 22 touchdowns. 

Last year, we saw a reduction in production from the room. Singleton’s yards per carry dropped from a staggering 6.8 to 4.4. The pair lost eight touchdowns from the previous year as well.

Even though their numbers dipped in 2023, there’s no reason to think that Singleton and Allen couldn’t be primed for a rebound in Penn State in 2024. The Nittany Lions relied so heavily on the run game last year that teams could scheme against it. An improved passing attack under new offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki should help. 

A couple of younger running backs will be looking to prove something as the offseason progresses. Freshmen Quinton Martin Jr. and Cam Wallace got most of the playing time in the Blue-White Game. Both backs impressed in the game, but Martin’s two touchdowns should not be ignored.

While losing London Montgomery means the room is a little thinner, running the ball should not be a problem in 2024 for the Nittany Lions.

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