The 2026 Preseason Watch List for the Doak Walker Award released. The award is given to the country's premier running back in college football.
Despite Penn State football no longer having Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen on its roster, the Nittany Lions were still one of the only teams that had multiple players make the 62-player preseason list. Liberty had the most with three and Penn State was joined by Indiana, Georgia Tech, Texas, and Kansas with two each.
Carson Hansen and James Peoples represented the Nittany Lions. Both transferred to Penn State after 2025 with Hansen following head coach Matt Campbell and Peoples leaving behind Ohio State for Happy Valley.
In 2025, Hansen had 188 carries for 952 yards and six touchdowns. He had an additional 19 receptions for 134 yards. Peoples totaled 344 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 61 carries as a sophomore last season.
Penn State running backs Carson Hansen and James Peoples named to Doak Walker Award Watch List
They're not a proven duo, but there's a lot of anticipation for what Penn State's offensive backfield can do in 2026.
Hansen is the more accomplished running back of the two when comparing college careers, but Peoples has recently stood out to Campbell during camp. He told reporters that the junior's production as a ball carrier is obviously there, but his ability to block and be an addition to the offensive line at times is what's setting him apart from the rest of the room.
Campbell has also emphasized getting the running backs involved in the pass game. On Wednesday, Thomas Frank Carr of On3 shared clips of Peoples, Cam Wallace, and Quinton Martin Jr. That dual threat ability, not only from Peoples but deeper in the room as well, unlocks a different look to the Nittany Lions' offense that hasn't been their strongest area in the past.
When Singleton and Allen were at Penn State, the run game was the main identity to that offense. For a brief moment in 2025, offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki tried shifting the focal point of the offense. It struggled taking off as early as the Nittany Lions' cupcake opponents in the first three weeks.
Campbell and OC Taylor Mouser have a lot of familiar pass catchers on this roster, though, starting with quarterback Rocco Becht. Becht has established chemistry with wide receivers and tight ends who transferred from Iowa State. Mouser and quarterbacks coach Jake Waters have also already had success with Becht over his first four years as a Cyclone.
There's a certain level of trust built into this passing game that couldn't fully develop in years prior on a consistent basis. Even with that adjustment, though, the running back room is still carrying a ton of weight. There's versatility in that room that Campbell and Mouser don't want to pass up on, and the level of talent in Hansen and Peoples has already spoke volumes across the country.
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