Nick Singleton returned to his 2022 form in a big way Saturday, breaking off not one but two 40+ yard rushes in Penn State’s 34-12 win over West Virginia.
Even behind a line that was replacing three starters from 2023, Singleton thrived in Penn State offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki’s scheme Saturday, rushing 13 times for 114 yards and a touchdown, and adding one catch for 13 yards.
Saturday’s game almost matched Singleton’s season high in rushing yards from last season (118 yards against Michigan State last November). The Michigan State game was the only time last season where Singleton eclipsed the 100-yard mark.
More importantly than the rushing yards total, however, Saturday marked the first time since the 2022 Rose Bowl that Nick Singleton eclipsed 40 yards on a single rush.
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Nick Singleton Blasts Back into Form for Penn State
During his true freshman season in 2022, Singleton broke off a nation-leading seven runs of 40+ yards, en route to a 1,000-yard campaign. But in 2023, along with the rest of Penn State’s offense, Singleton did not live up to his 2022 campaign under former offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich.
Although week one was a return to form from an eye test for Singleton, Reel Analytics pointed out a statistic that definitively shows that Singleton was back to his 2022 form in week one.
On X Tuesday, Reel Analytics ranked the five fastest players in college football from week one’s game action. Singleton checked in as the fastest player in college football in week one, with a top speed during his 40-yard touchdown rush clocking in at almost a mile per hour faster than any other player during week one action.
On his 40-yard touchdown run, Reel Analytics clocked Singleton at an astonishing 21.8 miles per hour. The second fastest player of the weekend according to Reel Analytics was Florida’s Montrell Johnson, clocked at 21.0 miles per hour.
#CFB‘s Fastest Five Players of Week 1:
1. @PennStateFball‘s Nick Singleton (@NickSingletonn)
RB, 40-yard TD Run 🦁 21.8 MPH 👑 #WeAre #LawnBoyz @B1Gfootball @PSUBarstool pic.twitter.com/MlezHwNm02
— Reel Analytics (@RAanalytics) September 3, 2024
On Wednesday night, Penn State strength and conditioning coach Chuck Losey took to X to call Singleton’s place atop the fastest players in college football “no surprise.” Losey further commented that it is a “perfect example of the product matching the preparation. You get exactly what you earn.”
Almost a full MPH faster at nearly half the yardage than the rest.
No surprise.
Perfect example of the product matching the preparation. You get exactly what you earn.@NickSingletonn https://t.co/1GGKVUbGvj
— Chuck Losey (@CoachCLosey) September 5, 2024
Singleton proved in week one that he can be a dynamic weapon for Andy Kotelnicki this season in Penn State’s revamped offense. If Penn State is to reach either the Big Ten championship or the college football playoff this season, Singleton, barring injury, will play a large part at getting the Nittany Lions there.
MORE: Two Key Offensive Weapons Return to Practice for Penn State
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