Penn State has had a dynamic running game for most of the last decade, routinely finishing near the top of the Big Ten in rushing offense. For the past two seasons, [autotag]Nick Singleton[/autotag] and Kaytron Allen have formed a dynamic duo in the Nittany Lions backfield, combining for over 4,000 yards from scrimmage and 41 touchdowns.
Singleton was the more productive back in 2022, finishing with 1,061 yards while averaging a robust 6.8 yards per attempt. The script flipped in 2023, with Allen leading the way with 902 yards while Singleton saw his yards per attempt drop all the way to 4.4.
With new offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki joining the program, some have wondered how the reps in the backfield will be distributed this season. Kotelnicki has stressed that he wants to get the ball into the hands of all his playmakers. I don’t think fans should worry about Singleton or Allen being underutilized in his offense.
Andy Kotelnicki is about to cook up some DIABOLICAL Wildcat Concepts with Kaytron Allen & Nick Singleton pic.twitter.com/ReisXjDkUF
— Coach Dan Casey (@CoachDanCasey) August 16, 2024
Kotelnicki’s offenses at Kansas were full of creative rushing plays that created confusion for the opposing defense, and I expect him to be even more successful doing it with the talent at his disposal in Happy Valley.
Singleton in particular could benefit from more open space with his speed and burst. He lacked the big plays in 2023 that made his freshman season so productive, so more space to operate in this new offense could help him bring his yards per attempt back up in 2024.
Just like with quarterback Drew Allar, trying to predict stats for any Penn State player is more like taking an educated guess with the new offense. It’s in the realm of possibility for one of Singleton or Allen to end up taking over the backfield after splitting carries 50/50 over the last two years.
Despite that possibility, I believe Kotelnicki when he says that he plans to get all of his playmakers involved this year. The run game is the last thing that Penn State needs to change significantly, so expect another year of a two-headed ground attack.
Both backs could look to enter the NFL draft after the season as well, so using them while you have them should be a priority this year.
Final Stats Prediction: 1,050 yards rushing on 185 carries, 20 receptions for 150 yards, 13 total touchdowns