In preparation for spring practice, here at Happy Valley Insider, we have been previewing each position for the Nittany Lions. Next up in our previews, is one of Penn State's best position groups, the running backs.
Penn State's running backs last year had a solid season yet for many Nittany Lion fans it would've also fallen under the "disappointing" category.
After Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen totaled 2,201 yards and 24 touchdowns from scrimmage in 2022 as true freshmen, many believed an even bigger season was in store.
Ultimately, they fell short of those numbers, this time totaling 2,046 yards and 17 touchdowns from scrimmage. That being said, the Nittany Lions rushing attack much like the offense as a whole lacked explosiveness for most of the season. Kaytron Allen would match his freshman year average yards per carry of 5.2 yards while Nicholas Singleton saw his average fall from 6.8 to 4.4.
Now, with a new offensive coordinator in Andy Kotelnicki who is known for his creative play calling and exceptional ability to get the ball in his play makers hands, the Nittany Lions talented running back room could be ready to flourish in 2024.
Over the offseason, Penn State saw the departure of a pair of running backs who recorded carries last season in Trey Potts who left the program to chase his NFL aspirations while Tank Smith exhausted his eligibility.
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Notably, not included in this spring practice preview is 2024 signee Corey Smith who will be enrolling on campus this summer.
Projected Starters: Nicholas Singleton, Kaytron Allen
We won't waste too much time on this one. There are no surprises here of who the starters will be for Penn State in 2024.
While they didn't replicate their stellar freshman seasons, Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen are one of the best backfield duos in the country and Andy Kotelnicki's offense could allow both tailbacks to have major seasons in 2024.
ROTATIONAL PIECES: Cam Wallace, London Montgomery, and Quinton Martin
The Nittany Lions will see a strong battle for the remainder of the depth chart this spring. Redshirt freshman Cam Wallace and London Montgomery both did not see the field in 2023 but have the opportunity to do so this fall.
Wallace, a speedster, might be on the smaller side at 5-foot-9 but is well built at 199-pounds. He's reportedly been impressive at times since arriving on campus. He could make an impact not just in the backfield but potentially as a return man.
Montgomery as James Franklin said during his opening spring practice press conference has "done some really good things," when he has been on the practice field but entering this spring, the former Scranton Prep standout is only at 186 pounds which makes things "challenging" for him. Adding more size will be pivotal for Montgomery's chances of seeing the field going forward.
Quinton Martin, a true freshman out of Belle Vernon is one to watch very closely this spring and fall camp. On Tuesday, James Franklin said that he believes the highly-touted athlete would "grow and explode dramatically over these next couple of months," it wouldn't be surprising at all to see the former high four-star prospect make an impact as a true freshman this fall.
DEPTH: Amiel Davis, Tyler Holzworth, David Kency Jr.
When it comes to depth this spring, the Nittany Lions have a trio of running backs in Amiel Davis, Tyler Holzworth, and David Kency Jr.
Holzworth is the only one of the three to record any statistics with three carries for four yards last season.
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