Halfway through the 2024 season, Penn State Football has been on a roll, 6-0, and ranked third in the nation heading into the second half of the season with everything to play for.
After the Nittany Lions‘ second bye week of the season, James Franklin sat down for his weekly press conference Monday to answer questions about the Nittany Lions’ first half of the season, the upcoming game against the Wisconsin Badgers, and the rest of the 2024 season.
During the press conference, Franklin provided an update on Penn State’s running back room and its resurgence under offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki this season.
Everything James Franklin said on the Penn State running back room
Statistics
Penn State Football ranks fourth this season in rushing yards per game, rushing for 201.2 yards per game in 2024 (up from 185 yards per game in 2023). Penn State’s average yards per rush are also up from 4.6 yards per attempt in 2023 to 5.15 yards per attempt so far in 2024.
A large part of this has been due to the resurgence of junior running back Nick Singleton, who has already surpassed half of his 2023 rushing yards despite missing a game due to injury in 2024.
Singleton leads the Nittany Lions with 434 rushing yards in five games this season and boosted his average rush to 6.9 yards per attempt, a massive bump from a career low 4.4 yards per attempt in 2023.
The running back room has also been a weapon for the Nittany Lions passing game, as the three running backs Singleton, Kaytron Allen and freshman Quinton Martin have combined for 16 catches for 161 receiving yards and four receiving touchdowns in 2024. The four receiving touchdowns by the running backs match Penn State’s production from the 2023 season by Singleton, Allen, and Trey Potts.
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James Franklin on the Running Backs
Running Game in General
“Would we like more production in the running game?” Franklin asked, rhetorically. “Yes. Would we like more explosive plays in the running game? Yes.”
Franklin noted that both of those questions were discussed during the bye week but recognized that the production from the running game is also dependent on how the defense plays Penn State.
Franklin continued that Penn State will “still run the ball because were committed to doing that” if Wisconsin stacks the box against the Nittany Lions, but understands that the running game may be less productive if they need to do other things in order to win the game.
On Quinton Martin
James Franklin was directly asked about the redshirt status of true freshman running back Quinton Martin on Monday.
Martin has been operating as Penn State’s third running back after an injury to Cam Wallace against UCLA. Franklin responded that Martin’s status is still “yellow” light, meaning that the staff is determining whether to redshirt Martin or play him on a weekly basis. Franklin noted, “if we have to play him to win games, we’re going to do that and everybody is comfortable in doing that.” Franklin continued that he would “prefer to manage it as much as we possibly can so that we still have that flexibility and choice moving forward.” Franklin noted that ultimately, “at this stage, we’re still trying to preserve it and maintain that flexibility for the end of the year.” Franklin followed up noting that “there is a ton of confidence in him…he has a ton of confidence in himself as well.”
On Corey Smith
James Franklin took an opportunity during the press conference to bring up freshman running back Corey Smith while talking about Quinton Martin, noting that Penn State could elevate Corey Smith to the third running back role to help preserve Martin’s redshirt this season. “Corey’s coming on as well…I could see us maybe even possibly having Corey as the third back…hopefully to preserve Quinton as well.” So far in 2024, Smith has not registered a carry for the Nittany Lions as the fourth or fifth running back on the depth chart.
Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen
In answering the question about Quinton Martin’s status, Franklin noted that it doesn’t make a lot of sense to burn Martin’s redshirt if both Singleton and Allen are healthy.
Franklin noted that if Penn State burned Martin’s redshirt, “there is ways we would take advantage of his skillset in a 21 personnel package.” “The challenge that I respond with that,” Franklin continued “is that every rep we give [Martin] is a rep that we’re taking away from Nick and Kaytron.” Franklin noted that “When you have a third back that you’re trying to factor in, if you’re going to burn his redshirt, you have to play him…. then that takes reps away from those other two guys. I don’t know that that makes a whole lot of sense at this stage.”
Penn State’s running game will be a major factor for the Penn State offense moving forward as the Nittany Lions attempt to break through into the College Football Playoff for the first time in program history.
While the Nittany Lions will lean heavily on Penn State’s junior tandem, there are two good options behind to spell relief if the Nittany Lions need it moving forward.
MORE: What We’ve Learned About Penn State Through Six Games
- James Franklin Provides Mid-Season Update on Penn State Running Back Room - October 21, 2024
- The 6 Most Important Players to Penn State’s Playoff Push - October 17, 2024
- Why Penn State MUST Sign James Franklin to a New Extension - October 17, 2024