Penn State will rely even more on true freshman running backs Nick Singleton (10) and Kaytron Allen after losing a veteran backup in Devyn Ford.
Barry Reeger | AP photo
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STATE COLLEGE — Penn State is down to three scholarship running backs.
Devyn Ford, the dean of the group in his fourth year on campus, has left the team “to focus on academics,” coach James Franklin said after Saturday’s win over Northwestern.
“We wish him the best,” Franklin said. “I think you guys know I’ve praised Devyn Ford for four years. I’ve got a ton of respect for him and I wish him nothing but the best.”
Ford’s departure leaves the Nittany Lions with the true freshman tandem of Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen splitting time with veteran Keyvone Lee, who led the team in rushing the last two seasons.
Once one of the top recruits in the country out of North Stafford High School in Virginia, Ford’s college career never took off in the way that Singleton and Allen have already shown.
He played as a true freshman along with classmate Noah Cain in 2019 and had his biggest highlight in the season opener on an 81-yard touchdown against Idaho.
But he wasn’t able to distinguish himself in some talented running back rooms that have featured Cain, Journey Brown and now Singleton and Allen.
Ford had seven carries for 37 yards on the season, adding five catches for 31 yards, highlighted by a fourth-down catch against Purdue to move the sticks in a narrow win.
He finishes his Penn State career with 140 carries for 666 yards and six touchdowns.
The Lions have recruited very well at running back, and they’ve needed every bit of that depth. Cain transferred back to his hometown of Baton Rouge to play at LSU in the offseason. Another former four star recruit, Caziah Holmes, left during training camp after falling behind on the depth chart and his since enrolled at Florida State.
Lee had been banged up in a Week 3 win over Auburn, and though he suited up the following Saturday, he did not play against Central Michigan.
With the weather causing serious problems for both offenses, Penn State ran it 55 times before taking three kneeldowns to end the game. Singleton and Allen got 21 carries apiece while Lee had 10. All three backs lost fumbles on the day.
All 21 of Allen’s carries came after halftime after spending the entire first half on the sideline.
“I would rather keep those decisions internal,” Franklin said when asked about Allen’s usage. “Whether it’s injuries, whether it’s behavior modification, whatever it may be, we’re going to keep those internal.
“I just don’t think it’s anyone’s business for those decisions to be announced publicly. Either it doesn’t help us from a competitive standpoint, or it’s undue embarrassment when there’s already a level of punishment that’s happened.”
INFIRMARY REPORT
• Starting wide receiver KeAndre Lambert-Smith was injured on the Lions’ opening drive as he got rolled up on during a run play. The third-year wideout had trouble putting weight on his right foot as he hobbled off with help of athletic trainers.
Lambert-Smith appeared to have escaped a serious injury, as he remained on the sideline and was riding the bike to keep loose. But given the rain and slick conditions, he did not return to play.
Harrison Wallace took most Lambert-Smith’s snaps for the game.
With the Lions heading into a bye week, Franklin said it was too early to tell how things would shake out before heading to Michigan on Oct. 15.
“Based on everything I know now … (Wallace) would be the next guy,” Franklin said. “But we’ve got two weeks to get KeAndre back, and we have two weeks to help (Wallace) develop. And other guys will have opportunities as well.
• Two players who missed the first four games of the season made their debuts on Satuday. Linebacker Charlie Katshir, who has battled injuries checked in during the second quarter and defensive tackle Coziah Izzard also got his first snaps in the rotation.
REDSHIRT WATCH
After having just two members of the freshman class burn their redshirts last season, Penn State has already topped that at the earliest possible point.
Six true freshmen have appeared in all five games for the Lions after seeing the field against Northwestern, meaning 2022 will count as their first season of eligibility. Players can appear in up to four games and still maintain a redshirt.
The top rushers, Singleton and Allen, were joined by wideout Omari Evans, linebacker Abdul Carter, defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton and defensive tackle Zane Durant.
The only rookie who appeared in the first four games who didn’t play on Saturday was quarterback Drew Allar.
UP NEXT
Penn State will get to kick back and watch next Saturday as the Lions head into their lone open week of the season.
But with what looms on the horizon, Franklin said the schedule for the next seven days might be different than in past years.
Part of that might have to do with the three weeks afterward. Penn State heads to the Big House to take on Michigan before returning home for back-to-back games against Minnesota and Ohio State.
It’s a stretch that will define whether the Lions are contenders for the Big Ten title and beyond or still a step behind the conference leaders.
The Wolverines are 5-0 after going into Kinnick Stadium and beating Iowa 27-14 on Saturday. They take on Indiana next, and a win over the Hoosiers would set up a likely top-10 matchup in Ann Arbor against the Lions.