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Nick Singleton flattened a pass rusher, went out for a route, snagged a pass that was thrown a little too high and proceeded to steamroll over a defensive back to convert a third down.
When he appeared to be a little dinged up in the fourth quarter, Kaytron Allen took over for nearly all of the decisive drive, going over 100 yards and storming in for the put-away touchdown last week against Illinois.
“I don’t know if there’s a better combination of running backs in the country,” their coach, James Franklin said.
In a game where Penn State ultimately buried Illinois with its running game, it was fitting that the duo reached some very rarefied air last Saturday.
With Allen’s strong closing effort, he topped 2,000 rushing yards for his career, a milestone that Singleton also recently hit. They became the first Penn State teammates to reach that summit since Lydell Mitchell and the late Franco Harris in 1971.
Not that anyone is anointing Singleton and Allen as future Hall-of-Famers headed into Saturday’s tilt against Big Ten newcomer UCLA at Beaver Stadium. There’s even a question of Singleton’s availability for the game after he was absent from Wednesday’s practice during the period open to reporters.
Neither Franklin nor running backs coach Ja’Juan Seider provided any details. But the fact that Singleton was made available for interviews after last Saturday’s game and again on Tuesday morning suggests that he’s not dealing with a serious issue.
Regardless, the No. 7 Nittany Lions seem to have established an identity on offense behind the two backs and a sturdy offensive line.
“We always feed off each other,” Singleton said. “It’s the type of game we play.”
Playing physical, “that’s who we are,” Allen said. “It’s not new to us.”
The coaching staff has done an admirable job keeping both happy these past three seasons in an era where other schools can, in some cases, offer more carries as well as more NIL money.
Penn State’s long-term pitch, though, seems to have paid off. And — lo and behold — Allen and Singleton both have 53 carries apiece through the first third of the schedule.
“We’re selling it on how you don’t want to be the back that … carried it 800 times, and (NFL teams) are concerned about how much wear and tear you have on you and what do you have left,” Franklin said. “I think sometimes it creates a management during games where they want more touches.
“But in the the big picture, out of the emotion of a game, I think both of them would sign up for it again. And obviously we would.”
THREE AND OUT
INFIRMARY REPORT
Allen is more than capable of carrying the load himself if needed. But depth becomes a concern if Singleton is limited or unable to play against the Bruins.
No. 3 running back Cam Wallace suffered what appeared to be a serious lower body injury two weeks ago against Kent State and Franklin confirmed this week that Wallace will be out long term.
That leaves a pair of true freshmen — Quinton Martin Jr. and Corey Smith — as the other scholarship backs on the depth chart.
The injury news was more positive at other spots. Linebacker Dominic DeLuca, guard Sal Wormley and cornerback Jalen Kimber are expected to play Saturday according to Franklin.
DeLuca sat out last week after being hurt in the first half against Kent State with an apparent hand or wrist injury. The Wyoming Area grad was sporting a cast but back at practice Wednesday.
Both Wormley and fellow lineman JB Nelson both missed time against Illinois after both appeared to be poked in the eye. Kimber left the game in the first half, leading to more snaps for Elliot Washington and Zion Tracy.
For UCLA, the big question is the health of starting quarterback Ethan Garbers, who did not practice on Tuesday or Wednesday after being injured last week against Oregon.
If Garbers, a fifth-year senior, can’t go, the Bruins would turn to redshirt sophomore Justyn Martin.
“(Martin’s) doing well,” coach DeShaun Foster told reporters in Los Angeles. “(This week) was (about) if we can get Justyn some more reps, just in case. I’m pleased with what he’s doing, commanding the huddle and getting guys lined up in the right position. Justyn is making strides and trending in the right direction.”
ROCKY ROAD
An injured quarterback is far from the only headache Foster has dealt with in his first season leading his alma mater.
While 2024 marked the start of a new era for the school, making the jump from the Pac-12 to the Big Ten, it has been a particularly rough year for the football program.
Former coach Chip Kelly wasn’t able to replicate his great success at Oregon — or even from his early days in the NFL leading the Philadelphia Eagles — and was actively looking for a new job.
He found it with another Big Ten school, choosing to take over as Ohio State’s offensive coordinator rather than stay on for what might have been a lame duck season as UCLA’s head coach.
Because this didn’t play out until February, the Bruins’ options to replace him were limited. The school promoted Foster, who had spent 10 years as an assistant on staff, primarily coaching running backs.
Foster was able to land a highly regarded offensive coordinator in Eric Bieniemy, who oversaw two Super Bowl-winning attacks with the Kansas City Chiefs.
On the defensive side is a familiar face in Brian Norwood, who was Penn State’s safeties coach from 2001-07, helping the Lions win the 2005 Big Ten title. He has the same role for the Bruins.
But the numbers so far — for all involved — have not been pretty.
Out of 133 teams eligible in the FBS ranks, the Bruins are ranked 127 in total offense at just 262 yards per game. The run game is nearly dead last in the country (No. 132) at a mere 57 yards per game.
On defense, UCLA does rank at the bottom of the barrel at No. 133 in third down defense, allowing conversions 58.2% of the time. The offense also struggles badly on third down with a 27.9% conversion rate (No. 123).
The Bruins are last in the Big Ten in scoring offense, total offense, rushing offense, passing yards allowed, sacks allowed, pass efficiency defense and third-down defense.
Is there anything the Bruins have done particularly well? Punter Brody Richter has gotten plenty of work and UCLA is top 25 nationally in net punting. The run defense is No. 34 (107.3 ypg), though that might have to do with the fact that the defense is giving up 291 yards through the air, so why run the ball.
KICKING CHANGE?
When Penn State scored a game-sealing touchdown in the fourth quarter last week, it was Ryan Barker — not Sander Sahaydak — who came out for the extra point.
Sahaydak’s night was done after he had missed a pair of 40-yard field goals, preventing the Lions from grabbing a more comforting two-score lead until late in the game.
Franklin and the Lions haven’t announced who will handle field goal duties on Saturday, but it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Barker get the first shot.
Sahaydak was the best kicker in practice each of the last two summers, opening both seasons as the starter. But it hasn’t translated over to gameday.
He missed his first two tries in the 2023 opener against West Virginia, opening the door for Alex Felkins to take the job for the rest of the year. Sahaydak is now just 2-for-5 to start this year.
“Sander had won the job,” Franklin said. “Won it during training camp. Won the job this season. All the data and the statistics back that up. During the spring it was a closer battle. Then Sander slowly but surely took the lead. But it was close. It was close. But I think everybody felt comfortable that that was the right decision.
“So we’ll factor all of that in this week in making the decision. It will be a competition. Won’t just be a competition just based on just practice data alone. You have to factor in the game data as well.”
The next field goal try for Barker, a redshirt freshman, will be his first in a college game. Penn State also has Tulsa transfer Chase Meyer as an option.