PASADENA, C.A.– Most true freshmen, even ones that end up being great players, don’t make a big splash in Year 1, but PSU RB Nick Singleton did.
In Week 2, Penn State played Ohio at Beaver Stadium.
It was the team’s 2022 home opener, the second game of Singleton’s college career and his first home game.
On the first play of Penn State’s second drive, Singleton got the ball and ran for a 70-yard touchdown. Later in the game, he ran for a 44-yard score.
“I have to tell you about the future!”pic.twitter.com/SaEzmZ8kC3
— Joe Smeltzer (@joesmeltzer775) September 10, 2022
Singleton ended the day with 179 yards and the two TDs on 10 carries. Fans and media alike expected Singleton to be good. After all, he was a five-star signee, the 2021 Gatorade National High School Player of the Year. He’s lived up to the hype thus far.
In Year 1, Singleton split carries with another freshman stud, Kaytron Allen, and rushed for 941 yards, 6.3 yards per carry and a Penn State record 10 touchdowns on his way to Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors.
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 Singleton for the first time since he became a PSU RB Nittany Sports Now was there for it.
SINGLETON ON HIS BIG GAME AGAINST OHIO
“Yeah, I felt like it was a statement for me. It felt like a breakout game… yeah, I feel like I had a great game. Thanks to me linemen, (running backs) coach (JaJuan) Seider. Everybody. It was a team effort.
ON HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH KAYTRON ALLEN
“Me and Kaytron, our relationship is really tight. Not just him; it’s really the whole running back (group), the whole team.”
ON KNOWING ALLEN BEFORE PENN STATE
“Yeah, we would talk to each other a lot. Just checking in, see how we’re doing and stuff.”
ON WHAT HE’S LEARNED FROM ALLEN
“His vision. He has great patience. True freshman running back. Just watching him… that’s the stuff I want to improve on.”
ON SPLITTING CARRIES
“We don’t mind who starts at stuff. At the end of the day, we’ll get our carries. We feed off each other.
“At the Indiana game, he had a great game; it was his series. He told me to go in. I did the same thing too.
“We just share reps and stuff, always… I don’t know how to explain it. If he does good a series, he’ll let me go in; if I have a good series, I’ll let him go in.”
ON SUPPORT FROM PENN STATE FANS
“The fans have been really great, especially with me being in PA, so everybody knew who I am and stuff.”
ON SUPPORT FROM BACK HOME
“They’ve been really good, especially my parents. My whole family, my friends. They always check on me, see how I’m doing and stuff. Penn State, too. Kaytron, Tank (Smith), Keyvone (Lee), (Running backs coach JaJuan) Seider, and especially coach Franklin.”
ON IF HE AND ALLEN CAN STAY HAPPY WHILE SPLITTING CARRIES FOR TWO MORE YEARS
”Oh yeah. For sure.”
ON HIS FAVORITE RUN OF 2022
“There’s two favorites; I don’t know which one to pick. Probably Auburn, my last touchdown and my first touchdown (against Ohio).”
“I’m even, I’m leavin… TOUCHDOWN”
Man Nick Singleton is going to be special in the Blue and White #WeAre pic.twitter.com/FbUnUqNzHF
— 🌹Basic Blues Nation🌹 (@BasicBlues) October 6, 2022
