ORLANDO – RJ Harvey rushed for 1,577 yards last season and 2,993 over the last two seasons for the UCF football team. This season, a tandem of redshirt senior running backs looks to take the Knights’ backfield even higher. Already being recognized for their threat to opposing defenses, Myles Montgomery and Jaden Nixon have been named to the Doak Walker Award Watch List, as announced Tuesday morning.
The pair of running backs join Harvey as Doak honorees; Harvey wound up being a two-time Doak Walker semi-finalist by the time his collegiate career concluded with a second-round selection by the Denver Broncos.
Montgomery appeared in 10 games in his first season as a Knight in 2024, finding the endzone four times with three via the ground game. He rushed for nearly 300 yards on 51 carries, averaging 5.7 yards per rush. Not only could he run the ball, but he proved he could contribute in the blocking game as well, grading as the team’s best run blocker at a 79.8 clip. He tallied 77 rushing yards on eight carries and a touchdown in his UCF debut against New Hampshire. Montgomery worked with and learned from Harvey as the 2024 campaign progressed and is ready to showcase his skills in 2025.
Nixon earned All-MAC First Team honors last season at Western Michigan, appearing in 13 games and rushing for 921 yards on 143 carries. He found paydirt 12 times throughout the course of the 2024 slate, including a trio of touchdowns against Buffalo. He racked up a season-high 189 yards on the ground against Bethune-Cookman while his longest rush of the season came against Kent State, scooting 92 yards down the sideline for a touchdown. The preseason has already seen Nixon tabbed as a running back for the nation to keep their eyes on, named to the Maxwell Award, Paul Hornung Award and Doak Walker Award watch lists as well as being named Preseason Big 12 Second Team by Phil Steele.
About UCF Athletics
UCF is a proud member of the Big 12 Conference. Our mission is to positively transform the lives of our students academically, athletically, and personally through a nationally competitive intercollegiate athletics program that enhances the reputation and visibility of the University. We strive to be Florida's preeminent athletic program representing UCF and our community with distinction on the national stage as "Orlando's Hometown Team". To learn more about UCF and Athletics, please visit our websites at www.ucf.edu and www.ucfknights.com.