Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1531683
F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 5 31 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M RETURNING STARTERS Kaytron Allen | Sr. Allen enjoyed the most productive season of his career in 2024, totaling 1,108 yards and 8 touchdowns on 220 carries (5.0 yards per attempt), while also catching 18 passes for 153 yards and 2 scores. He had a season-high 134 yards in Penn State's victory over Boise State in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals. Nicholas Singleton | Sr. After topping 100 yards in each of Penn State's first two games, Singleton saw his productivity dip after suffering an unspecified injury. He bounced back strong in the postseason, totaling 366 rushing yards against Oregon, SMU, Boise State and Notre Dame and scoring all three of Penn State's touchdowns versus the Fight- ing Irish. For the season, he rushed for 1,099 yards and 12 touch- downs on 172 carries (6.4 yards per attempt) and added 375 yards and 5 TDs on 41 catches. OTHER RETURNEES Quinton Martin Jr. | R-Fr. Martin saw action in four regular-season games and two post- season contests as a true freshman, preserving his freshman eli- gibility in 2025. He totaled 32 yards on 13 carries. Corey Smith | R-Fr. Smith impressed in limited action, totaling 152 yards on 22 carries, including a 78-yard run against Washington. He played in four games and, like classmate Martin, retained his freshman eligibility. Cam Wallace | R-So. Wallace's 2024 season ended when he suffered what James Franklin described as a "long-term injury" against Kent State on Sept. 21. He played in three games, finishing his redshirt freshman season with 63 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries. NEWCOMERS Jabree Coleman | Fr. The 6-foot, 200-pound Coleman rushed for 4,140 yards in four seasons at Imhotep Charter in Philadelphia. A four-star prospect, he was listed by On3 as the No. 167 overall prospect and No. 10 running back nationally, as well as the No. 6 player in Pennsyl- vania. Tikey Hayes | Fr. Hayes rushed for nearly 7,000 yards and 95 touchdowns in a four-year varsity career at Aliquippa (Pa.) High. The 5-11, 210-pounder received a three-star grade from On3 and was the No. 31 running back prospect nationally and No. 10 player in Pennsylvania. 2025 Outlook It's hard to hold competitive position groups together in an era of virtually unlimited free agency, so let's just take a moment to appreci- ate that Penn State has managed to keep the top of its running back depth chart intact for three years, going on four. On Jan. 13, both Singleton and Allen announced that they planned to return for their respective senior seasons. It was a huge coup for James Franklin, running backs coach Ja'Juan Seider and offensive co- ordinator Andy Kotelnicki. With its top two rushers back in action and a veteran offensive line opening up holes, Penn State should field one of the best ground attacks in college football next season. The Lions fielded one of the nation's better rushing attacks this past season, ranking first in the Big Ten and 18th in the FBS with an aver- age of 202.3 yards per game. Singleton and Allen combined for 2,207 yards and 20 touchdowns on the ground, becoming only the ninth duo in Big Ten history to surpass 1,000 yards apiece and the first since Iowa's Akrum Wadley and Leshun Daniels Jr. in 2016. Singleton and Allen are only the second duo in Penn State history to surpass 2,000 career yards apiece, joining Lydell Mitchell and Franco Harris, who rushed for 2,934 and 2,002 yards, respectively, from 1969- 71. That's pretty good company to keep, and for these rising seniors, the best may be yet to come. — Matt Herb Lions Thrilled To Welcome Back Singleton, Allen Kaytron Allen punished Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl, rushing for a game-high 134 yards in Penn State's 31-14 victory. PHOTO BY MARK SELDERS/PENN STATE ATHLETICS 2025 LOOK AHEAD RUNNING BACK