Three needs Penn State Football can still fill through the transfer portal

STATE COLLEGE, PA - OCTOBER 29: Head coach James Franklin of the Penn State Nittany Lions looks on during the first half of the game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Beaver Stadium on October 29, 2022 in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
STATE COLLEGE, PA - OCTOBER 29: Head coach James Franklin of the Penn State Nittany Lions looks on during the first half of the game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Beaver Stadium on October 29, 2022 in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) /
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PISCATAWAY, NJ – NOVEMBER 19: Running back Kaytron Allen #13 of the Penn State Nittany Lions celebrates with Nicholas Singleton #10. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)
PISCATAWAY, NJ – NOVEMBER 19: Running back Kaytron Allen #13 of the Penn State Nittany Lions celebrates with Nicholas Singleton #10. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images) /

A Veteran Running Back

Penn State football has one of the best running back duos in the country in Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen.

The talented freshmen will head into 2023 with plenty of hype, but what does the running back group look like behind them?

Junior Keyvone Lee recently entered the transfer portal, meaning 2023 signees London Montgomery and Cam Wallace are currently the only other two scholarship running backs on the roster. This doesn’t sound terrible, but considering Montgomery is coming off of a serious knee injury, he may not be ready at the start of the 2023 season.

Moreover, while Montgomery and Wallace seem promising, not every running back is ready to go from day one like Singleton and Allen were. You don’t know how a true freshman will respond in a critical situation.

Trying to lure a veteran running back to play behind Singleton and Allen won’t be easy, but Penn State’s staff should try.

If something was to happen to one of the two star backs, the Nittany Lions are down to one running back they trust. That’s not ideal for a team trying to make a run at the Playoff in 2023.

It would certainly be ideal for the Nittany Lions to find someone like they did in John Lovett a couple season back, but with Singleton and Allen there, Penn State cannot guarantee any transfer running back any touches in meaningful situations.