James Franklin provides promising update on oft-injured Penn State star

Penn State junior running back Nicholas Singleton has already missed one game this season and after spending much of the 2023 banged-up, he’s lacked the explosive burst that made him a freshman superstar for much of this season as well. Singleton left Penn State’s 35-6 Week 11 win over Washington at Beaver Stadium after just nine snaps and did not return, but head coach James Franklin provided a bit of positive injury news during his Monday press conference. 

Franklin told the assembled reporters that the injury his star running back suffered on Saturday is short-term and that Singleton, “had some things lingering on and off throughout the year.”

While the big plays have dried up for the 226-pound running back, he did provide a 97-yard kickoff return for a touchdown against the Huskies that was called back due to a holding call. That was an excellent sign for Singleton who has only one run of 15+ yards since Week 4 after racking up seven through the team’s first three games. 

In Penn State’s only loss of the season, 20-13 to Ohio State in a game where the Nittany Lions failed to produce an offensive touchdown, Singleton carried the ball just six times for 15 yards. Despite tight end Tyler Warren’s breakout senior season, offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki doesn’t have a bevy of weapons at wide receiver to deploy against elite teams like the Buckeyes, so Penn State’s offense relies heavily on production from the backfield. Fellow junior Kaytron Allen has become the team’s workhorse while Singleton has dealt with injuries, leading the team with 634 yards and five touchdowns on 133 carries, but he too has only five 15+ yard rushes and none against Ohio State. 

Singleton’s injury being short-term is huge for the Nittany Lions, who are favored to finish the season 11-1 and qualify for the 12-team College Football Playoff. However, even if he is healthy enough to play, Franklin should keep him out in Week 12 when Penn State heads to West Lafayette, Indiana to play 1-8 Purdue. The Boilermakers are 0-8 in Big Ten play and will almost certainly drop to 0-9 whether Singleton suits up or not. His injury might be short-term, but his long-term health is more important than 10 extra carries next Saturday. 

If Singleton is unable to play or is kept out for precautionary reasons, running back depth could be a problem for Penn State. With third-string running back Cam Wallace out since Week 4, and four-stringer Quinton Martin Jr. missing the past three games, true freshman Corey Smith could become RB2 behind Allen. 

Smith showed impressive burst in his career debut against Washington, ripping off a 78-yard run on just the second carry of his career. There are just three regular-season games remaining for Penn State, so Smith is no longer in danger of burning his redshirt. He could become a significant part of the game plan against Purdue and beyond. 

If Smith continues to play well, his speed out of the backfield could be an added element to Kotelnicki’s offense, even once Singleton returns. Penn State needs big plays. If Singleton can’t, then maybe the freshman can provide them.