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Bechtold: Penn State Getting the Band Back Together Reminiscent of Past Playoff Heavyweights

It may feel like weeks or even months ago but only seven days have passed since Penn State lost 27-24 to Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl and College Football Playoff semifinals.

Penn State Drops Orange Bowl to Notre Dame in Heartbreaking Fashion


A promising season led to a depressing end and a state of shock sweeping throughout Nittany Nation.

Itโ€™s even wilder to believe that days after it felt like the sky was falling, a new hope has arrived. Or, perhaps better: the hope Penn State fans had before the Orange Bowl isnโ€™t going anywhere.ย 

On Monday, Penn State received news that star running back Nicholas Singleton will return for his senior season. The news came hours after Singletonโ€™s name didnโ€™t register in the school directory on the first day of classes. Panic ensued.ย 

Retaining Singleton seemed like a significant win PSU fans could cling to with players needing to make decisions on declaring for the NFL Draft, entering the transfer portal or returning to college. 10 minutes later, a good day became great.ย 

https://twitter.com/NickSingletonn/status/1878883721627222249

Not long after Singleton announced he will play his senior season in Happy Valley, Kaytron Allen did the same, citing โ€œunfinished businessโ€ and stating, โ€œBOOM. Iโ€™M BACK.โ€

Penn State Will Have Both Star RBs Back For 2025

Deploying two 1,000-yard running backs in a season is a significant accomplishment. Both returning for their senior seasons instead of going pro or becoming the No. 1 guy at another program? In the modern era, itโ€™s a rarity.ย 

Singleton and Allen are both within reach of becoming the all-time leading rushers at Penn State. They form a dynamic duo unrivaled in college football with Allenโ€™s power and Singletonโ€™s speed.ย 

Dani Dennis-Sutton joined the party hours later. PSUโ€™s star pass rusher on the opposite side of Abdul Carter thrived in the CFP and finished the season with 13 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks.ย 

The trio represents a loaded 2022 recruiting class that revived PSU following a two-year stretch where the team went 11-11. Center Nick Dawkins, defensive end Smith Vilbert, and linebacker Dominic DeLuca soon followed with their announcements to stay. All four of Penn Stateโ€™s key specialists, including punter Riley Thompson and kicker Ryan Barker, will also return to Happy Valley. Defensive tackle Zane Durant got the ball rolling on the laundry list of returns by announcing his intentions the morning after the Notre Dame loss.ย 

 

Rising star safety Zakee Wheatley posted to social media his desire to return two days before Christmas. His delayed present was winning Fiesta Bowl Defensive Player of the Game and a game-high 16 tackles in the Orange Bowl.ย 

 

But it all started when the face of the program announced he was returning to Penn State for his senior season. Despite a weak QB class and the potential to be a high draft pick, Drew Allar remained loyal to Penn State and decided the best course of action is to continue his collegiate career and year three as a starter. The decision sent shockwaves through the program. Despite NFL interest following two victories in the playoffs, Allar stuck to his word. Singleton, Allen, Dennis-Sutton, Dawkins, DeLuca, and others followed suit.ย 

Itโ€™s a polarizing revelation in an ever-changing college sports landscape where money and opportunity reign supreme. Itโ€™s also a testament to the culture James Franklin continues to build at Penn State. Loyalty is less prevalent in sports than ever before, especially as college football evolves and becomes more like the NFL every day. Allar, Singleton, Allen, and Dennis-Sutton could have jumped to the NFL and jump-start their pro careers. But they chose to take care of unfinished business.ย 

Losing in heartbreaking fashion on a last-second field goal, knowing they were so close to reaching the national championship, is a taste they canโ€™t get out of their mouths. Not satisfied. So close, but so far. Despite achieving more than any Penn State team has in nearly 30 years and a program-record 13 wins, itโ€™s not enough. This collective knows it can reach the promised land, and plant its flag on the mountaintop.ย 

Itโ€™s reminiscent of two Big Ten rivals the past two seasons. Michigan and Ohio State built superstar rosters while sitting on the doorstep of a national title. Michigan lost to TCU by one possession in the four-team College Football Playoff two seasons ago, falling a game short of the final. One year later, Michigan capped an undefeated season with Jim Harbaugh hoisting the trophy. JJ McCarthy, Blake Corum, Donovan Edwards, Roman Wilson, Mike Sainristil, a loaded offensive line and others returned to Ann Arbor to finish the job.

This season, Treveyon Henderson, Emeka Egbuka, JT Tuimoloau, Cody Simon and Jack Sawyer returned to an Ohio State program that lost to Michigan and Missouri, ending a miserable season in Columbus (for their standards). Ohio State fully embraced NIL, built a โ€œ$20 million roster,โ€ and is back in the national championship.

Franklin and the players deserve a lot of credit. They know this group is capable of winning a national title, getting arguably as close to a championship since 1994. Penn State is building a roster rivaling any in the Big Ten or SEC.ย 

Replacing Carter, Tyler Warren, Kobe King and Jaylen Reed arenโ€™t easy tasks. The wide receiver room will look completely different after Harrison Wallace and Omari Evans entered the transfer portal. Penn State wonโ€™t look entirely the same and needs reinforcements. Ohio State added Caleb Downs to its secondary and quarterback Will Howard ahead of this season.ย 

PSU welcomed back safety King Mack (Alabama) and recruited wide receivers Kyron Hudson (USC) and Devonte Ross (Troy). Four of Penn Stateโ€™s starting offensive linemen will likely return, plus Durant, Vilbert, and possibly Amin Vanover to the defensive side. Four-star freshman Cooper Cousins should leap into the starting lineup at right guard, replacing Sal Wormley.ย 

A sign of the times? When plenty of teams are zigging and building rosters on the fly, Penn State is zagging and relying on its high school recruiting classes, development and player retention to build a juggernaut. Money and opportunity can get in the way.

 

Now that the dust has settled, itโ€™s realistic to believe Penn State can follow the path of Michigan and Ohio State. Can the Nittany Lions finally win multiple top 5 and top 10 games and close the gap in the Franklin era? Allar, Singleton, Allen, Dennis-Sutton and plenty of others think so.ย 

My advice? Soak it all in. This doesnโ€™t happen often. The unselfishness of Singleton and Allen to return together where one could have left and become a higher pick elsewhere is commendable and for a bigger purpose. Dennis-Sutton could have rode a 4.5-sack performance in the CFP into the pros. Wheatley could have switched course and entered the draft on a high note or be the face of another talented defense.ย 

Dawkins could have said five years was enough, instead of opting to play his sixth season of collegiate eligibility. Some scouts and analysts believe Allar would have been the most talented QB in the class.ย 

These players stayed because they believe the Penn State Nittany Lions can win a national championship in 2025. If PSU and James Franklin add the right pieces at wide receiver, defensive line, and cornerback, maybe you should start believing too.

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