NEWS: Penn State football loses top in-state RB to late transfer portal exit

Redshirt freshman running back London Montgomery is entering the transfer portal, reports indicate on Thursday. One of the top recruits in the Keystone State in 2023, injury and a loaded running back room for Penn State football kept Montgomery from the field last fall. Montgomery is part of a wave of Nittany Lions to enter the transfer portal in the closing hours of the processing window following Tuesday’s deadline for underclassmen.

Penn State football loses London Montgomery in late transfer portal departure

After a very brief stint with the Penn State football program, London Montgomery will be looking for a new program. First reported by Tyler Donohue of Lions247, the redshirt freshman running back will enter the transfer portal this week. The deadline for undergraduate players to enter was Tuesday at midnight, but there is a 48-hour period for schools to process requests, leading to the delay in reporting.

Penn State redshirt freshman running back London Montgomery has entered the transfer portal, per @247Sports sources. He did not see game action in Year 1.

— Tyler Donohue (@TDsTake) May 2, 2024

London Montgomery was the top running back and the No. 9 overall player in Pennsylvania in the 2023 recruiting cycle, per 247Sports. However, the Scranton Prep talent suffered a knee injury prior to his senior year, stunting his recruiting rise and limiting his readiness for Penn State football last fall. Ultimately, Montgomery didn’t see the field as a true freshman.

“London has struggled to put some weight on,” James Franklin said of Montgomery and Cam Wallace in October. “But in terms of football IQ, in terms of their vision, their ability to pass pro, they’ve shown that they’re tough and they’ll stick their faces in there. The Sunday night scrimmages have been really good.

Nittany Lions getting hit late

It had been a rather dull spring transfer portal window for Penn State football up until Thursday. The Nittany Lions lost only three players before the window for undergraduate players closed on Tuesday evening.

However, Penn State football nearly doubled that number in a matter of hours on Thursday afternoon. Sophomore safety King Mack was the first domino to fall, followed by redshirt freshman walk-on running back David Kency.

Montgomery’s departure was included in a wave of exits that included senior wide receiver Malik McClain and redshirt senior offensive lineman Golden Israel-Achumba. Penn State football is now up to eight transfer portal departures since the end of spring practice.

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