London Montgomery is having fun again.

One of the finest high school athletes in District 2 history, his journey of promise has the former Scranton Prep star thriving as a member of the East Carolina University football team.

On Thursday night, he and his teammates play at Tulane (4-1 overall) in an American Athletic Conference game at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN. The Pirates (3-2) are coming off a bye week after beating last season’s conference champion, Army, on Sept. 25.

“We had a great win against the defending champs, and this week we play against the team they beat to win that championship, so this is another big game,” Montgomery, 20, said. “Every week, we reset and focus on us being 1-0 for the week. We aren’t worried about anything but us.

“On offense, we want to start fast and stay locked in. I do think we can have a great season moving forward, but right now we are focused on Tulane.”

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It’s been three years since Montgomery faced a tumultuous time in his bright, young athletic career.

As dynamic running back at Scranton Prep, the speedster put up video game-like numbers. As a junior, he piled up 2,356 yards rushing, which included games of 373 yards and six touchdowns on 22 carries, and 353 yards and five touchdowns on 18 carries. He was a Class 3A all-state player, Times-Tribune Offensive Player of the Year, and was overall Male Athlete of the Year.

In just 25 high school games, Montgomery had 3,986 yards rushing and 60 touchdowns entering his senior year.

His combination of quickness and power situated the 5-foot-10, 185-pound four-star recruit as the No. 9 overall prospect in Pennsylvania and the No. 32 running back in the country, according to 247sports.com. He received scholarship offers from Akron, Arizona State, Bowling Green, Buffalo, Connecticut, Georgia Tech, Iowa, James Madison, Louisville, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio, Old Dominion, Rutgers, Syracuse, Temple, Virginia Tech, West Virginia and Western Michigan.

Ahead of his senior season, Montgomery announced he was picking Penn State in front of a packed Xavier Center at Scranton Prep, stating at the time, “Growing up, all I could think about was playing for Penn State.”

Weeks later, the euphoria of being a member of the Nittany Lions recruiting class and the excitement of starting his senior year with Scranton Prep turned into heartache when he tore his ACL during in a preseason scrimmage.

“Looking back at it, when the doctor called and said I tore my ACL, I was in the car, and I pulled over, and it just rocked me,” Montgomery said. “It was hard. I was told I couldn’t play football for a long time, and I knew the seriousness of it.

“I had to rebuild myself and keep my mental toughness. My dad (Herb Williams), mom (Diamond Montgomery), and coach Terry (Gallagher) helped me through it. I worked very hard on my rehab and kept myself in a positive place mentally. That was important. … I was determined to be as good as I was before I tore my ACL.”

After surgery and months of rehabilitation, Montgomery redshirted at Penn State in 2023. He was named the Developmental Squad Offensive Player of the Week for the Iowa game by James Franklin and his staff. In the Blue-White Game in 2024, he gained eight yards on five carries.

He was part of a talented running back room with the Nittany Lions, but he knew it was crowded and that his road was about to take him elsewhere.

So, he entered the NCAA transfer portal, and in May 2024 committed to East Carolina.

“At Penn State, I always wanted to play running back,” Montgomery said. “They have two great backs there now. But I just wanted to play and allow myself to put myself out there and on film. I talked about it with my dad and Coach Terry. It was a difficult decision, and it was tough to call Coach Franklin, but I wanted to make the best decision that was for me.

“Through the transfer portal, a lot of schools hit me up. It’s difficult to find someone who believes in you. I got on the phone with (running backs) Coach (Rodney) Freeman, and he liked how I played.”

With his injury far behind him, Montgomery had an impact for the Pirates in his first season. He made his collegiate debut against Norfolk State, playing in 11 of the team’s 13 games, and running for 359 yards on 71 carries with two touchdowns. He also caught five passes for 29 yards.

“In my first game against Norfolk State, it was nerve-racking for me,” Montgomery said. “I had to establish that I was still the same player before I tore my ACL. I had to build back that confidence. I was getting more reps and moved up the depth chart. That carried over to this year, and now I am playing more and more.”

“I feel good. I always go back to training. I put on some weight, and I got faster. I know I put in the hard work, so that gives me the confidence boost to reach my potential.”

This season, wearing his familiar No. 7, Montgomery has provided a jolt to the Pirates’ running game. He leads the team with 212 yards on 51 carries and has two touchdowns. He had a season-high 59 yards on 15 carries at Coastal Carolina, and had 58 yards on 15 carries in a win over defending AAC champion Army on Sept. 25.

“It has been fun, and it is always good to play,” Montgomery said. “I wasn’t playing at Penn State, so I had to do what was best for me and my family. I am enjoying it. I love my teammates. I know that I haven’t had my best game yet.”

At East Carolina, he has found a home and is once again playing at a high level.

“I stayed true to myself,” Montgomery said. “I always had great support from my family. Coach Terry (Gallagher) has always been there for me. I knew there would be a brighter side to things. God had a plan for me and still does. I worked hard and knew that someday I would get my opportunity.

“I can’t look back at the past and regret anything. I want to keep moving forward.”

https://www.mcall.com/2025/10/08/college-football-montgomery-having-impact-at-east-carolina/