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NittanyCentral delivers expert analysis from veteran reporters and timely updates on Penn State sports, with in-depth coverage of Nittany Lions Football, Wrestling, Basketball, and more.

Penn State Football: Why Andy Kotelnicki Can Rejuvenate Nick Singleton, Kaytron Allen in 2024

Penn State Football, Nick Singleton

Penn State Football made a big splash in December 2023, grabbing Kansas offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki as the next Nittany Lions playcaller.

The move has been well received around the college football world as James Franklin hopes he finally has the man to get his program into the College Football Playoff.

Penn State Football, Drew Allar, Kaytron Allen
Penn State Nittany Lions Quarterback Drew Allar (15) hands the ball off to Penn State Nittany Lions Running Back Kaytron Allen ((Photo by Gregory Fisher/Icon Sportswire)

 

One group that could benefit from Kotelnicki’s arrival is the running back unit.

After bursting onto the scene as true freshmen, Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen had incredibly high expectations heading into 2023. Fair or not, those two did not exactly live up to those lofty goals.

In 2022, Singleton carried the ball 156 times for 1,061 yards and 12 touchdowns, that’s good for an average of 6.8 yards per carry. This season, the former 5-star recruit managed just 702 yards on 163 carries, good for a 4.3 average. Singleton averaging 2.5 less yards per carry this season versus last is kind of a concerning trend.

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Allen’s sophomore slump was not nearly as bad. In 2022, Allen carried the ball 167 times for 867 yards and 10 touchdowns, a 5.2 average. In 12 games this year, Allen has 162 carries for 851 yards, but only 6 touchdowns.

So, can Kotelnicki get the running backs, mostly Singleton, back on track? History would say yes.


How Andy Kotelnicki Can Revolutionize Penn State Football Ground Game

Penn State Football, Nick Singleton
Penn State Nittany Lions Running Back Nicholas Singleton (Photo by Gregory Fisher/Icon Sportswire)

 

During his time as the offensive coordinator at Buffalo, Kotelnicki oversaw one of the best rushing attacks in the country. That rushing attack was led by Jaret Patterson.

As a freshman in 2018, Patterson carried the ball 183 times for 1,013 yards and 14 touchdowns. While those numbers are impressive, it’s nothing compared to what he did the following two seasons.

In 2019, Patterson carried the ball a whooping 312 times for 1,799 yards and 19 touchdowns, good for an average of 5.8 yards per rush. In just six games during the shortened 2020 season, Patterson ran for 1,072 yards and 19 touchdowns on just 141 carries, a 7.6 average.

While Penn State does not play the same competition as Buffalo, these numbers are hard to ignore.

Let’s fast forward to Kotelnicki’s time at Kansas in the Big 12.

In 2022, Kotelnicki’s offense averaged 184.2 rushing yards per game and 2.2 rushing touchdowns per game on an average of 34.3 attempts per game. The unit was led by Devin Neal, who ran the ball 180 times for 1,090 yards and 9 touchdowns.

During the 2023 season, while dealing with injuries to the quarterback unit, which greatly hampered the offense, Kansas was still able to run for 211.3 yards and 2.6 touchdowns per game. The workload for the running backs increased as they averaged 38.3 carries per game.

Neal was even better this season, rushing for 1,209 yards and 15 touchdowns on 183 attempts. His backup Daniel Hishaw Jr. got in on the fun too, rushing for 599 yards and 8 touchdowns on 116 carries.

Needless to say, Kotelnicki likes to run the ball, and his running backs have put up monster numbers under his watch. This is the type of hire that can excite Singleton and Allen and get them back to where they were in 2022.

Franklin made this hire with his loaded running back room in mind, and on paper, it looks like the right hire at the right time.

MORE: 3 Things to Know About Andy Kotelnicki

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Penn State Football Recruiting Analyst at NittanyCentral
Alec Whitaker is a 2021 graduate of Penn State University earning a BA in Journalism and a minor in History. He is an avid sports fan and spends his free time co-hosting podcasts on his YouTube channel, Whitaker Media. Prior to arriving at NittanyCentral, Whitaker covered Penn State Football and Penn State Football recruiting for VictoryBellRings.com, part of the FanSided network.
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Penn State Football: Why Andy Kotelnicki Can Rejuvenate Nick Singleton, Kaytron Allen in 2024
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