Nick Singleton turns focus to Penn State football rushing record

Nicholas Singleton could be preparing to hear his name called later this month in the NFL Draft. Instead, he’s back in Holuba Hall for another round of spring practice and year number four with Penn State football.

Singleton and backfield mate Kaytron Allen returned to Happy Valley to finish what they started in the fall of 2022 and go out on top. One possession away from the national title game in January, the Nittany Lions’ one-two punch at running back has their sights set on returning to the College Football Playoff in 2025.

But Singleton is chasing down Penn State football history as well. The senior running back enters the season just 1,021 yards away from breaking the school’s all-time rushing record currently held by Evan Royster.

“That’s definitely doable,” he said this week.

Penn State football running back Nicholas Singleton. © Chris Eutsler / Basic Blues Nation, 2024.

Singleton can topple multiple Penn State football records in 2025

Currently 10th in program history with 2,912 yards, Singleton will shoot up the Nittany Lions record books regardless this fall. Records for rushing scores (needs 11), attempts (187), total touchdowns (12), and all-purpose yards (865) are all within striking distance.

“It would be a big honor,” he said of the rushing record. “I can’t wait to get it, but I have to keep on working toward it.”

Singleton was limited by injuries in 2024, only rushing for more than 50 yards twice in the months of October and November. Fully healthy and under the guidance of new running backs coach Stan Drayton, Singleton is looking to become an even more explosive part of the Penn State offense this year.

“With Nick, it’s a lot of the open field running, a little bit more creativity in his game,” James Franklin said this week. “He’s been a guy that obviously extremely strong, extremely explosive, extremely fast. But we want to work on those open field runs so he can get more 80-yard, 90-yard runs, which we think he is capable of getting.”

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