This autumn, London Montgomery hopes to play in a game for the first time in three years. But it seems that it won't be at Penn State.
London Montgomery, a redshirt freshman running back who used to play for Scranton Prep, was one of five Nittany Lions to enter the transfer portal on Thursday. The other players include wide receiver Malik McClain, safety King Mack, offensive lineman Golden Israel-Achumba, and walk-on running back David Kency.
The deadline for players to enter the portal was at the end of April, but it can take some time for schools and the NCAA to process the requests.
Since his impressive junior season at Scranton Prep in 2021, which led to multiple scholarship offers from major programs, Montgomery has been working hard to return to playing.
Montgomery committed to Penn State, but a serious knee injury during the preseason prevented him from playing his entire senior season. He signed with the Lions in December 2022 and redshirted in 2023 as he worked on his recovery.
He participated in spring practice with the Lions this year, but it would have been challenging for him to get playing time behind NFL hopefuls Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen. Although Penn State needs a replacement for Trey Potts, who was the No. 3 running back last fall, Montgomery would have had to compete with classmate Cam Wallace and true freshman Quinton Martin for limited playing time.
One of the challenges for Montgomery was his size. Coaches wanted him to bulk up before earning a bigger role on the team.
“Whenever he plays football, he really contributes well to the team, but he hasn't changed his physical build much,” said coach James Franklin this spring. “I think he’s still only 185 pounds, so that’s going to make it challenging for him.
“But in terms of football, he’s pretty good. He’s done some really good things for us in practice. He just needs to understand that there are things he has to do off the field to make an impact on the field. It’s just very different. You’re trying to block players like Kobe King and Abdul Carter, who are 250 pounds, while you're 185 pounds. I wasn't a math major, but that usually doesn’t go very well.”
None of the departing Penn State players were expected to be starters in 2024. However, Mack had the most potential, and McClain was an experienced player in a position with few options.
Mack, who was talented enough to play as a true freshman last year, would still have been behind Kevin Winston Jr., Jaylen Reed, and Zakee Wheatley at safety. However, the new defensive coordinator Tom Allen has used a lot of three-safety formations in the past, and Mack would likely have been a significant contributor on defense and special teams before becoming a full-time starter in 2025.
McClain began his college career at Florida State before moving to Penn State last year. He scored a touchdown in his first game with the team but finished the season with only six receptions for 71 yards.
He was not expected to have a big part in 2024, but the Lions once again have worries at wide receiver after the offseason departures of starter KeAndre Lambert-Smith and backups Dante Cepthas, Malick Meiga, and Cristian Driver.
Penn State will probably depend a lot on Harrison Wallace and Ohio State transfer Julian Fleming while hoping for someone from the group of Kaden Saunders, Liam Clifford, and Omari Evans to step up. Anthony Ivey, Tyler Johnson, and converted safety Mehki Flowers will also get a chance during camp.
