Penn State fans have been spoiled.
For four seasons, Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton made the extraordinary feel ordinary. Penn State could hand the ball to either back and reasonably expect a routine play to turn into something much bigger.
Allen finished his career as Penn State’s all-time leading rusher with 4,180 yards on a program-record 769 carries, scoring 39 rushing touchdowns. Singleton finished with 3,461 rushing yards and became the program’s career leader with 45 rushing touchdowns. Together, they accumulated 7,641 rushing yards and 84 touchdowns.
Replacing that was never going to look seamless.
Two games into 2026, Penn State’s running game hasn’t looked like the machine Nittany Lion fans became accustomed to watching. That doesn’t mean it’s time to worry.
There is a difference between a running game that is broken and one that is still trying to find its identity.
Penn State is much closer to the latter.
The Numbers Aren’t As Bad As They Feel
Through two games, Penn State has 322 rushing yards on 77 attempts, averaging 4.2 yards per carry according to Pro Football Focus (PFF).
Carson Hansen has been the primary option, rushing 30 times for 132 yards, an average of 4.4 yards per attempt. James Peoples has 73 yards on 15 carries, averaging 4.9.
Against Temple, Hansen rushed 19 times for 84 yards while Peoples added 42 yards. Penn State collectively averaged 4.4 yards per carry.
Those aren’t Allen and Singleton numbers.
They aren’t disastrous numbers, either.
The biggest thing missing has been explosiveness. Hansen’s longest run is 13 yards. Peoples’ longest is 12. Neither has scored a rushing touchdown.
That’s noticeable after watching Singleton finish his career being capable of being a home run hitter out of the backfield.
Yet Penn State’s rushing-direction numbers suggest something important.
The Nittany Lions have been particularly effective running off the right edge, averaging 6.3 yards on 17 attempts, with 87 yards after contact. Runs through the middle-left have averaged 6.0 yards. There are areas where this running game is already working.
The problem has been consistency.
That’s something offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser isn’t hiding.
“I’m less than thrilled with where the run game’s at would be an understatement,” Mouser said. “Feel like there’s a lot of growth to be had there.”
Later, Mouser called the ground game’s performance “mediocrity,” but importantly, he didn’t place the blame solely on his offensive line or running backs.
“That starts with me,” Mouser said. “Like I’m more mad at myself than I am the O-line.”
Mouser wants Penn State to become a team that can physically dominate opponents on the ground, and he acknowledged that isn’t happening yet.
That’s a concern but it’s not necessarily a reason to panic.
There Are Fixable Problems
The most encouraging part of Penn State’s struggles might be what the coaches believe is causing them.
This isn’t a situation where the offensive line is routinely getting blown backward or the running backs simply aren’t talented enough.
Instead, Penn State keeps finding itself just slightly out of sync.
“We’re talking about inches off,” Campbell said.
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.Campbell pointed to Penn State’s goal-line sequence against Temple as a perfect example. Peoples missed the run on first down. Hansen produced a quality run on second down. Then Penn State was slightly off with its blocking on the following play.
“Those are things, timing, we’ve got to be better,” Campbell said. “Those aren’t excuses; those are reality.”
Mouser offered an even more revealing explanation.
Penn State has asked its offensive line to execute outside zone, mid zone, inside zone, counter, power and pin-and-pull concepts. Mouser admitted that might have been too much for an offense still becoming comfortable with a new system.
He also estimated 85-to-90% of the offense has already been installed and acknowledged that Penn State may have carried too much on its call sheet during the first two weeks.
“We probably have had too much stuff on the call sheet for the first two weeks that have kept our guys from playing as fast as they need to,” Mouser said.
Hansen Is Still Getting There
Hansen deserves patience, too.
The Iowa State transfer missed much of fall camp, something neither he nor Penn State is using as an excuse, but something that can’t simply be ignored.
Campbell believes Hansen is getting closer.
“When you see Carson running, I think the positive thing is everything is going forward,” Campbell said. “There’s not been any negative runs from him.”
Campbell specifically wants to see more explosion and stronger finishes, but believes Hansen is still working himself completely back into game shape.
And Penn State isn’t dependent solely on Hansen.
Peoples has flashed efficiency. Quinton Martin Jr. remains part of the equation after rushing for 38 yards and a touchdown against Marshall. Mouser said Martin “has earned the right to get touches” and stressed that his limited role against Temple wasn’t a reflection of diminished confidence in him.
That gives Penn State options while the hierarchy sorts itself out.
Give It Time
Penn State should expect more from its running game.
Mouser does.
Campbell does.
The players certainly do.
But there’s a sizable gap between acknowledging that the running game isn’t good enough yet and concluding that it won’t become good enough.
After four years of Allen and Singleton, perhaps the biggest adjustment belongs to everyone watching.
The next Penn State running back doesn’t need to be Kaytron Allen or Nicholas Singleton.
Hansen, Peoples and Martin don’t have to replace 7,641 career rushing yards overnight.
Penn State just needs its backs, offensive line and play-caller to get those “inches” Campbell keeps talking about aligned.
Two games into a new offense, there’s plenty of time for that to happen.
Penn State’s running game isn’t where it needs to be. But there is a big difference between a problem without an answer and a problem whose answers are already visible.
Right now, this looks a lot more like the latter.
