Myles Montgomery has been patiently waiting for his moment.

After spending his early college career in the shadows—first at Cincinnati, then behind one of the best running backs in UCF history—Montgomery knows the time has come to step forward.

With RJ Harvey now off to the NFL, a second-round selection of the Denver Broncos, Montgomery enters 2025 with a clear goal to become UCF's next great running back.

"I'm just ready to show what I can do," Montgomery said during a recent spring press conference. "Let's just be real. I've been a career-long backup and now it's my time, so I just want to prove everybody wrong."

A native of Jacksonville, Montgomery transferred to UCF ahead of the 2024 season after spending three years at Cincinnati. He appeared in 10 games for the Knights last fall and rushed for 293 yards on 51 carries, an impressive 5.7 yards per attempt. He found the end zone four times, including three rushing scores and a 49-yard touchdown reception.

His best performance came in the season opener against New Hampshire, where he tallied 77 rushing yards on just eight carries and added a receiving touchdown.

With Harvey now gone, Montgomery is the most experienced returning back on UCF's roster. But he's not alone in the competition. Transfer newcomer Jaden Nixon, who arrived from Western Michigan, brings plenty of talent and speed to the room. Montgomery welcomes the push.

"It's natural," he said. "One good play, you want to go make another good play, right? And that's good for the team. You've got long run after long run after long run. Good block after good block. So, yeah, we feed off each other."

Still, Montgomery knows the way to the top of the depth chart won’t be about comparing resumes—it's about consistency.

"The way to do that is just consistency and building trust with your coaches," he said. "You can't get caught up in comparing yourself to other people. You've just got to do your best."