Nick Singleton has rushed for 3,000-plus yards and 37 touchdowns during his Penn State football career.
He’s delivered impressive performances in some of the Nittany Lions’ biggest games the last three seasons, so the expectations for him skyrocketed before this season.
But because he’s averaging a pedestrian 4.4 yards per carry and hasn’t had a rush longer than 16 yards in the first three games, inquiring minds want to know if something’s wrong.
Penn State running backs coach Stan Drayton did his best Thursday to calm everyone.
“He is on track, he really is,” Drayton said. “He’s getting ready to explode. … I think he was thinking a little bit too much early in the season. I think it’s coming to a point where he’s ready to cut it loose. He’s had a really good couple weeks of practice.”
Singleton, a high school star at Gov. Mifflin, has carried 41 times for 179 yards and five touchdowns, numbers that aren’t awful. But he has yet to break a long run, his trademark at Penn State.
“My coaches told me, ‘Don’t think, just know your strengths and play fast,’ ” he said after practice Wednesday night. “Obviously against Oregon, you have to think like that against a team like that. So I’m going to let it rip this weekend, and it’s going to be good.”
The sixth-ranked Ducks (1-0 Big Ten, 4-0) visit No. 3 Penn State (0-0, 3-0) for the annual White Out Game Saturday at 7:30 (TV-NBC) at Beaver Stadium.
Penn State senior Kaytron Allen runs for a touchdown in a 52-6 victory over Villanova earlier this month. (AP Photo/Barry Reeger)
Last year in the Big Ten title game, the Lions rushed for 292 yards in a 45-37 loss to Oregon behind Kaytron Allen’s 124 yards and Singleton’s 105. Singleton also caught four passes for 43 yards and a touchdown.
“Those guys are really good at sticking their foot in the ground and getting vertical,” Ducks coach Dan Lanning said. “They’re different runners. 10 (Singleton) hits it and builds the speed quickly.
“13 (Allen) is playing as good as anybody right now. He’s got great vision. He’s got good patience. He’s able to get vertical as well.”
Allen dropped weight since last season and leads Penn State with 274 yards on 34 carries (8.0 average). He rushed for 144 yards against Florida International earlier this month.
“Kaytron is a guy who right now is instinctively doing a lot of great things,” Drayton said. “He’s making people miss. He has a real keen ability to anticipate. He’s a very smart football player.
“He is one who took the offseason and put it into action very quickly. I’m really happy with where he is right now.”
Since Drayton arrived at Penn State early this year, he has worked with Singleton on open-field running and how to elude would-be tacklers. According to Drayton and head coach James Franklin, that has resulted in Singleton not playing free and easy.
“You’re seeing a really good football player that is processing a little bit too much, maybe overthinking a little bit too much,” Drayton said. “We really did attack the offseason with throwing more on his plate in terms of processing defenses and being able to anticipate things while playing full speed. That takes a little bit of time.”
Drayton said he has seen a difference in Singleton during practice since the 52-6 win over Villanova on Sept. 13.
“All of the things we taught him in the offseason are becoming his instincts,” Drayton said. “I just think it’s a matter of him feeling confident. There’s plenty of film that validates and gives him plenty of reason to be confident.
“He’s prepared well over these last couple of weeks. He’s a very, very talented individual.”
Oregon added bulk to its defensive line after last season in order to be better prepared to stop the run, especially against Penn State. If Allen and Singleton are effective, it might be a long night for the Ducks.
“They’re absolutely ready to go,” Drayton said. “There’s no question about that. To get them out there against a very talented Oregon team is going to be very telling as to where we are in our development.”
For Singleton, it’s another opportunity on a big stage and a chance to cut loose.
“It means just not thinking too much,” he said. “When you see the hole, just hit it and trust your instincts.”