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 Draytonโ heโll be 54 March 11โ has been coaching for more than three decades.
25 of his 32 seasons in coaching have been as RB coach. In that time, heโs 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 Americaโs 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: HEโS A NATIONAL CHAMP (X2)
There arenโt many active running backs coaches who have been national champs while coaching that position, and Drayton has done it twice. Heโs was Floridaโs RB coach in 2006 when Urban Meyer won his first national title. Eight years later, he was there for Meyerโs 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, isnโt 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. Draytonโs 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.
โHe was hard on me since I got on campus and heโs really the biggest reason why Iโm here today and Iโm the back I am today,โ Elliot said in 2017 after Drayton got the Texas job. โHe 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.โ
The Austin American-Statesman wrote that Robinson โtruly loved Stan Drayton.โ
After Drayton got the Temple head-coaching job, Westbrook had high praise for his former coach.
โI canโt say enough Great things about Stan Drayton!โ Westbrook tweeted. โHe 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 canโt wait to see him transform this program!!โ
I canโt 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 canโt 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, itโa probably fair to assume that Singleton and Allen have egos because why wouldnโt they? Players donโt become stars unless they believe they are stars.
Tyler Donahue of Lions247 put it like this.
โThe ego-management angle is familiar to him after working in powerhouse environments. Heโs 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). Thatโs not an experience you can duplicate, and it differentiates him from the rest of this PSU staff.โ
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 Draytonโs coaching career. As Templeโs 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 donโt go well, it must be noted that Drayton wasnโt 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.”
Itโs safe to say, at this point, that Drayton wonโt have that problem at Penn State.
NO. 5: JAMES FRANKLINโS THOUGHTS
Photo by Matt Lynch, Nittany Sports Now
Hereโs what Draytonโs new boss had to say about him.
โStan Drayton brings decades of experience coaching running backs at the highest levels to our program,โ James Franklin said. โHe 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.โ
Penn State opens its 2025 season against Nevada Aug. 30 at Beaver Stadium.
