Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1400830
S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 1 5 9 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M first, which made Penn State my first big-time offer. They've been recruiting me hard ever since, so that made a big impact, too. They really committed to me and my family early on." Singleton called Penn State's re- cruitment "a team effort from every- one there." That effort intensified last September when coaches were able to start initiating conversations with 2022 prospects. Head coach James Franklin, who is personally involved with all of Penn State's top targets, may have been even more active with this one. "Coach Franklin has been calling me a lot. He reaches out most days, so just having him always reaching out and staying in contact really showed me how much of a priority I am for them," Singleton said. "He constantly kept tell- ing me that as well, but he really showed that with how much he stayed in con- tact. He really showed me how much they want me at Penn State." Running backs coach Ja'Juan Seider also had a big impact, frequently reach- ing out to Singleton via Zoom. With in-person visits not permitted at the time, Seider made sure that Singleton still understood everything Penn State could do for him in the years to come. "He showed me a lot about their running schemes, their different plays that feature the running back," Single- ton said. "He also helped set me up with Noah Cain, and I really enjoyed talking to him and Journey Brown. Those guys showed me a lot." While Penn State was always among his leaders, Singleton's decision wasn't easy. Earning nearly 40 scholarship of- fers, he took official visits to Penn State, Alabama, Notre Dame, Texas A&M and Wisconsin in June. By the time he wrapped up his trip to South Bend, it was clear that the Fighting Irish had given him a reason to seriously consider leaving Pennsylvania. "It was stressful, for sure. It was a hard decision," Singleton said. "But I feel good about my decision. I feel good about Penn State, and I think they have a ton to offer. My family helped me out a lot during this." In just eight games last season, Sin- gleton rushed for 1,311 yards on 107 car- ries, averaging a very impressive 12.3 yards per rush. He also scored 22 touch- downs, leading Governor Mifflin High to the PIAA Class 5A semifinals where it lost a heartbreaker to eventual state champion Pine-Richland, 48-45. Sin- gleton ultimately earned all-state hon- ors and even a spot in the All-American Bowl, which will be played in January. Governor Mifflin coach Jeff Lang de- scribed Singleton as an aggressive run- ning back who is more than willing to take on would-be tacklers. "Nick is a very strong runner," Lang said. "He's a violent running back. He's not looking to avoid [contact], and he's not going down on one hit. He has a gear that he hits that I've not seen any- body in high school hit. He gets up to full speed, and look out." Singleton is rated by Rivals.com as the No. 8 running back and No. 124 overall prospect nationally, and brings a sense of determination to everything he does. "He's hungry," Lang said. "The kid knows what he wants and does what- ever it takes to get it done." ■ One of the biggest pieces of the Penn State recruiting class fell into place in early July when run- ning back Nick Singleton chose the Nittany Lions over Notre Dame, Alabama, Wisconsin and Texas A&M in a hotly contested race between top Power Five schools. What are the Nittany Lions getting in Singleton, a player considered by many to be the top running back on their recruiting board? Let's take a look. STRENGTHS Big-play ability: Singleton's reputation as a big-play runner is partly a product of the Governor Mifflin triple-option, which puts him in position to rip off big runs on the perimeter of the defense. That being said, Singleton takes full advantage of it, using an explosive initial burst and track speed in the open field to get to the end zone untouched. He routinely outruns defenders' pursuit angles and chews up chunks of yardage. Hammer: For all of his speed and elusiveness, Singleton is primarily a no-nonsense runner who is more of a hammer than anything. He has developed a good body lean and pad level on contact and runs with a low profile into contact. This leads to broken tackles and consistent yardage falling forward. They say you can't teach speed, but you also can't teach tenacity, and Singleton has it in spades. Following blocks: Singleton is a disciplined running back with very good vision and patience. He doesn't try to turn the corner and outrun the defense to the sideline on every run, which would be easy given that 90 percent of his runs are pitch plays. He patiently waits for his blocks and cuts upfield decisively to maximize his yardage. The change-of-direction skills, vision and patience make him a mature runner. AREAS OF DEVELOPMENT Power: If you're going to be a hammer, you need the tools to run with power. Singleton is on a very good trajectory and should easily be able to add the lower-body mass needed to consistently break more tackles and gain more yardage after contact. His frame can easily support the strength necessary to achieve this. Creativity: Singleton is such a mature runner that we can move on to more advanced aspects of playing the position. This comes down more to style, but Singleton could stand to be a bit more creative and spontaneous with his moves in space. Passing game: Singleton was almost never used as a receiver last season, so his abilities are un- known. It may be a stretch, but he seems very natural dealing with pitches from the quarterback and doesn't fight the ball in flight. Clearly more information is needed on his abilities as a receiver, and his skills as a blocker are still in development. PROJECTION Lead Back: Size, speed, power, tenacity — Singleton has just about everything you could ask for in a lead tailback who can hit home runs while also keeping you ahead of the chains. His frame is per- fect for the position, and his running style is well-suited to gaining extra yards on every play. While his play in space can improve, that caveat should not be seen as an overt negative; it's more like a description of his style. Singleton is an excellent prospect and has the potential to see the field early in his career. — Thomas Frank Carr P L A Y E R E V A L U A T I O N