Penn State has its new running backs coach, and naturally, people want to know things about Stan Drayton.
They want to know where he coached before, who he coached before and if he won anything.
The 53-year-old Drayton— he’ll be 54 March 11– has been coaching for more than three decades.
25 of his 32 seasons in coaching have been as RB coach. In that time, he’s coached in the SEC, Big East, Big 12 and NFL, and his success was such that he did become a DI head coach.
Penn State has arguably America’s best RB duo coming back next season in Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen. Here are five things to know about their new position coach.
NO. 1: HE’S A NATIONAL CHAMP (X2)
There aren’t many active running backs coaches who have been national champs while coaching that position, and Drayton has done it twice. He’s was Florida’s RB coach in 2006 when Urban Meyer won his first national title. Eight years later, he was there for Meyer’s third national title, this one at Ohio State. The focal point of that Ohio State team was none other than a running back in Ezekiel Elliot, who Drayton helped develop into a star.
NO. 2: HE CAN DEVELOP STARS
Elliot, who became the No. 7 pick in the 2016 draft, isn’t the only RB Drayton has helped turn into a star. In his time at Texas (2017-21), Drayton helped Bijan Robinson become a top-four pick. Drayton’s work with NFL-caliber RBs dates back even to before the new millennium. At Villanova (1996-99), he coached a man named Brian Westbrook. Westbrook ended up staying in Philly with the Eagles, where he became an All-Pro and is third on the all-time rushing list for a 91-year-old franchise.
Elliot credited Drayton for helping him become a star.
“He was hard on me since I got on campus and he’s really the biggest reason why I’m here today and I’m the back I am today,” Elliot said in 2017 after Drayton got the Texas job. “He made sure when I learned this position that I learned it thoroughly, that I learned not just what I do but what the guys around me do. That made me understand the game so much better. He taught me how to anticipate instead of just going off of reactions and going off of instincts. That made me play faster and made me into a great player.”
The Austin American-Statesman wrote that Robinson “truly loved Stan Drayton.”
After Drayton got the Temple head-coaching job, Westbrook had high praise for his former coach.
“I can’t say enough Great things about Stan Drayton!” Westbrook tweeted. “He saw thru my injuries and brought me to Villanova, he helped turn me become the player and more importantly the man that I became!! I can’t wait to see him transform this program!!”
I can’t say enough Great things about Stan Drayton! He saw thru my injuries and brought me to Villanova, he helped turn me become the player and more importantly the man that I became!! I can’t wait to see him transform this program!! https://t.co/BNP3sR5SOT
— Brian Westbrook (@36westbrook) December 16, 2021
No. 3: HE KNOWS HOW TO MANAGE EGOS
In the most complimentary way possible, it’a probably fair to assume that Singleton and Allen have egos because why wouldn’t they? Players don’t become stars unless they believe they are stars.
Tyler Donahue of Lions247 put it like this.
“The ego-management angle is familiar to him after working in powerhouse environments. He’s used to working with big-time talent and big-time coaches. Plus he has two experiences of getting his friends ready for a national championship game (which they won both times). That’s not an experience you can duplicate, and it differentiates him from the rest of this PSU staff.”
Some initial thoughts on the Stan Drayton pickup for Penn State…https://t.co/K2wXiE4I85 pic.twitter.com/OfEk6QJLud
— Tyler Donohue (@TDsTake) February 14, 2025
NO. 4: TROUBLE IN PHILLY
Unfortunately, we must take a look at what ended up being a disappointing chapter of Drayton’s coaching career. As Temple’s head coach, he went 9-25 and was fired with two games left in his third season.
Although the head coach almost always deserves blame when things don’t go well, it must be noted that Drayton wasn’t working with the best material at Temple when it came to NIL.
“You sit there and look at that Tulane team, the size, the physicality, the strength and where they are pulling their guys from, and their investment in their players, and the results they are getting because if it,” Drayton said in November. “Tulane has made the commitment to bring good players into the program. There’s definitely a gap there if we don’t catch up, no question about it. We have to level up.
“I’m talking NIL, I’m talking collectives, that’s how they’re getting their players. That’s exactly what I’m talking about.”
It’s safe to say, at this point, that Drayton won’t have that problem at Penn State.
NO. 5: JAMES FRANKLIN’S THOUGHTS
Photo by Matt Lynch, Nittany Sports Now
Here’s what Drayton’s new boss had to say about him.
“Stan Drayton brings decades of experience coaching running backs at the highest levels to our program,” James Franklin said. “He is an important addition to our staff. His experience as a head coach and working alongside elite backs in his career will be invaluable to our running backs room. I am so excited to welcome Stan and his family, including his wife, Monique, and daughters, Amari and Anaya, to Happy Valley.”
Penn State opens its 2025 season against Nevada Aug. 30 at Beaver Stadium.
