After the 2023-24 season, Penn State football head coach James Franklin sat down with his tight ends. Two of them, Theo Johnson and Tyler Warren, were deciding what their futures would look like: declare for the 2024 NFL Draft or stay another season with the Nittany Lions. Johnson declared, eventually going in the second round to the New York Giants, while Warren stayed at Penn State for his final year of eligibility.
Warren's senior season ended up being what Franklin would call "an unbelievably memorable season an all-time season in Penn State history or really college football history" before going 14th overall in the 2025 NFL Draft.
At 2025 Big Ten Media Days, the head coach said he thought a similar situation would be on his hands after the 2024-25 season, but this time with his elite running back duo. He thought one of his two top running backs, Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen, would declare for the draft while the other stayed put in Happy Valley.
To his luck and surprise, the duo stuck together and opted to come back for their senior seasons as Nittany Lions.
In the absence of Warren, Penn State entered the offseason season needing to fill that offensive hole. Aside from having tight ends Luke Reynolds, Khalil Dinkins, and Andrew Rappleyea take a step forward in their games, Franklin dipped into the Transfer Portal to upgrade the wide receiver room. Beyond that, though, he got back two stars in the backfield that he believes can accomplish something special together heading into both of their fourth years as Nittany Lions.
"We['ve] got two great running backs," Franklin said. ". . . It's amazing to me that both [Singleton and Allen] have a chance to be the all-time leading rushers in Penn State history — one and two. And they've been sharing carries their entire [collegiate] career. So, obviously they're going to play a big role in [offensive production]."
In 2024-25, Singleton finished with 1,099 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns on 172 carries. He added an additional 41 receptions for 375 yards and five receiving touchdowns. Allen recorded 1,108 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on 220 carries as well as 18 receptions for 153 yards and two receiving touchdowns.
Singleton and Allen have been side by side their entire careers. As true freshmen, they became the first duo in Penn State history to reach 700-plus rushing yards in a single season. It was growth from thereon out. Now entering their fourth season as an unstoppable pair, they head into 2025-26 as arguably the best running back duo in the NCAA on one of the best teams in the country.