3 Names To Know in Penn State Running Back Coach Search
Head coach James Franklin and Penn State Football have their second coaching staff opening of the offseason, with running backs coach Ja’Juan Seider off to Notre Dame.
Ahead of the 2025 season where the Nittany Lions will have sky-high expectations, Franklin must make a great hire to fill the void left by one of Penn State’s best offensive recruiters on the staff.
With star running backs Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen both back for a fourth season in Happy Valley, Penn State’s running back room is extremely healthy and filled with talent for next season, which should make the open position extremely attractive among candidates.
But where will James Franklin turn to fill Penn State’s running backs coach position for the first time since 2018? Here are a few names that could be on Penn State’s hot board:
Stan Drayton
Former Temple head coach Stan Drayton was fired from Temple after three years with the Owls.
Drayton has a ton of experience as a running backs coach (24 years of experience with the running backs coach title) and has spent the last three years in Pennsylvania. If Drayton wants to get back into the coaching game after his firing from Temple, Penn State could make a ton of sense.
Drayton also spent four seasons immediately before his time at Temple at Texas, where he could help Penn State make inroads on the recruiting trail in a very fertile recruiting ground. James Franklin has stated in the past that he likes “head coaches” of different groups, including a head coach of the offense, defense, and special teams. Drayton could add another former head coach to the staff that would bring plenty of experience with him to Happy Valley.
Damiere Shaw
Rutgers running back coach Damiere Shaw has proven over his five seasons at Rutgers (two as running backs coach) that he is a great up and coming coach.
In 2024, Shaw was a Broyles Award nominee for the top assistant coach in the nation. In addition to spending the past five seasons in the Big Ten with Rutgers, Shaw began his coaching career at his alma mater Temple as a student assistant and then wide receiver graduate assistant.
His Pennsylvania roots plus Big Ten experience could make him an attractive candidate for James Franklin in this off-season’s search. Shaw is credited as the primary recruiter on 11 commits for Rutgers, including three commits in the state of Florida, where Penn State loses a lot of recruiting momentum with Seider’s departure.
Shaw is also credited with the recruitment of 2026 Rutgers commits, Jaylen McGill, Wydeek Collier, and Dyzier Carter, the three highest ranked recruits in the class for Rutgers. If Shaw wants to step up from Rutgers to the top of the Big Ten, he could make a great candidate for Penn State’s open running backs coach position.
Wildcard: Bill Belton
Former four-year letterman Nittany Lions wide receiver and running back Bill Belton is certainly a wildcard in James Franklin’s coaching search for the open running back coach position.
Belton rushed for 1,652 yards and 14 touchdowns over four seasons with the Nittany Lions, including a historic touchdown to knock off Michigan in four overtimes in 2013. After his playing career, Belton returned to his high school alma mater Winslow Township High School in New Jersey, where he was a four-star recruit in 2011. Belton spent two years as Winslow’s offensive coordinator before being promoted to head football coach in 2022.
With two years of experience as a high school head coach, Belton could have a desire to step up into the college game. While his lack of experience at the college level could put him lower down on James Franklin’s list, a return home to Penn State would certainly be a great story for the program and Belton.
Still, jumping from high school head coach to top power four position coach may be too big of a jump in a pivotal season for Penn State. Although, Belton already has a relationship with one of Penn State’s 2026 commits, as cornerback Julian Peterson plays for Belton at Winslow Township.
Where James Franklin goes from here and how fast he moves to hire a new running backs coach remains to be seen. No matter what, whoever James Franklin hires to replace Ja’Juan Seider will have big shoes to fill both on the field and recruiting for Penn State.
More Penn State Football News from NittanyCentral:
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- 3 Names To Know in Penn State Running Back Coach Search - February 9, 2025
- What Losing Running Backs Coach Ja’Juan Seider Means for Penn State Football - February 9, 2025
- NFL Draft: Could Abdul Carter Become Penn State’s First No. 1 Pick Since 2000? One Analyst Says Yes - February 3, 2025