Most people assumed Nicholas Singleton wouldnโt be at Penn State for four seasons but he is, indeed, coming back, and he told reporters that money didnโt have much to do with it.
Singleton was the No. 1 prep RB in the country coming out of high school and rushed for more than 1,000 yards as a true freshman.
Going back to the end of the 2022 season, most probably would have predicted that Singleton would have declared for the draft when he was eligible, which would have been after 2024.
Although Singleton had an excellent junior yearโ 1,099 yards, 12 touchdowns, 6.4 yards per carryโ he decided to forgo the Draft and come back to college.
Many felt that name, image and likeness played a big factor, and considering he has a deal with Gatorade and is one of Penn Stateโs best players, it doesnโt take a rocket scientist to figure out he makes plenty of money, as heโs legally allowed to do in this era of college football.
But for Singleton, it wasnโt about that.
His response would make Jessie J proud.
โIT WASNโT REALLY ABOUT THE MONEYโ
Photo by Matt Lynch, Nittany Sports Now: Nicholas Singleton
Hereโs what Singleton said when asked if NIL played a big factor in his decision to come back.
โIt wasnโt really about the money. It would have been there anyway,โ he said. โThatโs one thing I talked about with my parents. The money doesnโt matter. Iโm not coming back for the money.โ
So why did Singleton come back?
WHY SINGLETON RETURNED
Nick Singleton celebrates his third rushing touchdown against Notre Dame.
So if the money wasnโt a big factor, what are some things that helped Singletonโs make his decision?
Well, for one, Penn State came within one score from playing in the national title game last year, and Singleton knows this yearโs team could be just as good, if not better.
โMost players that we came in with as freshmen, theyโre coming back to compete for a national championship,โ he said. โJust how the season ended โ everybody was upset.โ
Singleton didnโt have much time to dwell.
Instead, he had to make a decision: Should he stay or should he go?
โWe sat down and it went both right and left,โ he said. โBut at the same time, I figured what I needed the most and what my family needed the most was not leaving.โ
By not leaving, Singleton puts himself in ย position to become Penn Stateโs all-time leading rusher.
Heโs 1,021 yards away from Evan Roysterโs record, which means that, if he repeats what he did last season (1,099 yards), Nicholas Singleton will be Penn Stateโs rushing king.
How would he feel about that?
โIt would be a big honor,โ he said. โI canโt wait to get it, but I have to keep on working toward it.โ
Oh, and one more thing: Singleton also has a chance to put himself in the Heisman discussion.
โIt definitely is at the back of my mind,โ he said. โItโs a hard task, but you are always looking forward to it. You watch the Heisman on TV, seeing all the great players. You dream about it. But you have to keep working on it to make it a reality.โ
