PASADENA, C.A.— It’s rare for a team to have one top-notch freshman RB, and PSU has two this season: Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen.
The two made Big Ten history, becoming the first pair of freshman backs to eclipse 700 yards. Singleton finished the year with 941 yards, a 6.3 yards per carry average, a Penn State freshman record 10 touchdowns and Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors.
Allen was alright, too.
The former four-star recruit from Florida’s famous IMG Academy picked up 830 yards and nine touchdowns– the second most in Penn State history for a freshman back– on 156 carries, good for a 5.3 average.
Penn State doesn’t allow its freshman football players to speak with the press, and the school’s Rose Bowl Media Day was the first time reporters got to interview Allen and the rest of his classmates. Nittany Sports Now was there for it.
ALLEN ON SHARING PSU RB DUTIES WITH SINGLETON
“I really don’t try to look at anybody else’s stats and try to compare them to mine… I’m always trying to learn from him. I’m not trying to worry about Nick’s success and what he’s doing. I’m just trying to be my own person and just play the game that I love.”
ALLEN ON RELATIONSHIP WITH SINGLETON
“That’s my brother, for real. Me and him got a great relationship. We work off each other, get each other better.”
ON SPLITTING CARRIES
“I don’t try to look at carries and all that. I just try to (figure out) what can I do better once I get the ball, you feel me? Because I just enjoy, love playing football. So I don’t really try to look at anybody’s success.
“I love getting the ball, love playing football.”
ON HIS FAVORITE RUN OF THE SEASON
(Getting) in the endzone. For real, for real. I like getting in the endzone. We’re just playing football. I just love playing football.
(My favorite run was) the one against (Ohio) State.
TOUCHDOWN PENN STATE
On 4th & Goal Kaytron Allen fights through for the @PennStateFball TD 💪 pic.twitter.com/OcLcDj9Udl
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 29, 2022
ON WHAT HE REMEMBERS ABOUT THE RUN
Just getting the ball in the endzone for my team and putting us back on track.
ON FRIENDSHIP WITH RECEIVER KEANDRE LAMBERT-SMITH
“We grew up with each other, so we kinda already knew. “That’s what kinda got me here.”
Allen and Lambert-Smith are from Norfolk, Virginia, originally.
“For real, Dre… we were like real close. He’s tight with my cousin. It just gave me a bond. [Penn State] has just made it way tighter than what it was.”
ON LAMBERT-SMITH ALLOWING HIM TO WEAR NO. 13
“We talked about it before I got here, for real. He let me wear it, so I’m just grateful for it.”
Lambert-Smith previously wore No. 13 but switched to No. 1.
