Warning Nick Singleton of major changes next year, NCAA insiders name running back snubbed by Penn State star's hype
Penn State was one of the biggest stories of the 2024 college football season. The Nittany Lions breezed through the regular season and postseason to secure a spot in the CFB semifinals. But, it was for nothing as the Notre Dame Fighting Irish handily defeated the Nittany Lions to reach the latest national championship game.
The Nittany Lions relied on a rush-heavy offense in the 2024-25 season. Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen both amassed more than 1,000 rushing yards in last year's heroic run.
Ahead of the 2025 season, Greg McElroy and Cole Cubelic discussed the potential Penn State running back depth chart for the upcoming season.
Cubelic said,
"If you mention Nick Singleton, I don't think Penn State is going to have three backs this year like they did last year. He's probably going to have to carry a lot more of the load. And you're not going to have a utility do-it-all, all-world unicorn tight end. So he's going to have to do more for that team."
McElroy replied,
"Well, I mean, honestly, I think Kaytron Allen might be a better back, but nobody thinks that because Kaytron Allen wasn't the top five player in the country in recruiting. I think the other thing that sometimes irritates me about these lists, and look, we fall victim to it also. It's nothing about On3."
McElroy and Cubelic see Allen potentially taking over as the Nittany Lions’ RB1. The Lions thrived behind their two-back system in 2024. Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen surpassed the 1,000 rushing yards mark.
Both players amassed over 600 rushing yards, more than the next person on the rushing standings (quarterback Drew Allar).
What's next for Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen at Penn State?
Nicholas Singleton has spent his entire college football career with the Penn State Nittany Lions. He has slowly become the team's lead back and thrived in coach James Franklin's offense.
The Governor Mifflin High School product has steadily improved his rushing total since he started his collegiate football career. What's next is for him to solidify his draft stock by improving as a pass catcher and potentially guiding the Nittany Lions to a deeper postseason run.
Kaytron Allen recorded more touches in the Penn State backfield in the 2024 campaign. He ended up with the most rushing yards and the second-most rushing TDs.
The IMG Academy product is built for the big stage. He'll aim to improve his rushing TD stats in what's likely his last year of college football before declaring for the NFL draft.