Penn State Football 2018 Early Position Preview: Running Back
Penn State football has to find a way to replace Saquon Barkley at running back in 2018
Replacing a generational talent like Saquon Barkley is nearly impossible. Barkley single-handily changed games during his time at Penn State. His playmaking ability was second to none and he’ll go down as one of the best college players in recent memory. Fortunately for the Nittany Lions, they enter the 2018 season with a lot of talent still left in the cupboard.
Miles Sanders, who spent the last two seasons behind Barkley on the depth chart, will finally have his chance in the spotlight this season. He’ll enter the spring practice session at the top of the depth chart.
The starting job will be his to lose.
Sanders was a top running back prospect coming out of high school and was considered one of the best recruits available. However, since he landed at Penn State, he received limited opportunities during his first two years in college football behind Barkley. He has 375 rushing yards on 56 carries and three touchdowns in his career. He also has 54 receiving yards with a touchdown.
Although the numbers thus far are scare, Sanders certainly has potential and seems more than capable of carrying the load out of the Penn State backfield.
Behind Sanders is where things will get interesting this season. Andre Robinson, who would have likely challenged for playing time in 2018, is no longer with the program. That leaves Mark Allen, Journey Brown, and Ricky Slade.
Allen is the veteran of the group and has 6 carries for 254 yards and two touchdowns over his career. He’ll provide an experienced and reliable presence in the backfield.
Brown, a redshirt freshman, is an intriguing option thanks to his fantastic speed. The verdict is still out on the youngster, as he wasn’t heavily recited despite the blazing speed and video-game like numbers he put up in high school.
The wildcard this year is Slade, a five-star recruit from Virginia, it’s hard to imagine him not playing as a true freshman this year. Sade was ranked as the best player in Virginia and the best at his position. He was a standout in high school and has the talent to be a game-changer for the Nittany Lions, even in his first season.
Next: Top Penn State offensive players to watch during the offseason
Watching what happens to the running back depth chart will be an interesting storyline to watch as the offseason progresses. Regardless of how the depth chart stacks up, the Nittany Lions have several inserting options at running back for the 2018 season.