Running back depth garners optimism for Penn State football in 2024

The arrival of James Franklin as Penn State football head coach in 2014 has brought stability to the program. Franklin is an elite recruiter, and the program finds itself in the mix for Big Ten titles most years. There have been areas of weakness though, specifically in beating highly ranked opponents. Despite this, Franklin has shown he is elite in producing highly-touted running back prospects. Franklin has recruited and developed players such as Saquon Barkley, Miles Sanders, Journey Brown, Nick Singleton, and Kaytron Allen at the position. The Nittany Lion running back room going into the 2024 season looks to be as good as ever. It is one of the deepest units on Penn State’s roster, especially with the emergence of Cam Wallace and Quinton Martin.

RB depth will be a strong suit for Penn State football this season

Penn State’s offensive unit currently presents questions for fans. The unit, despite boasting a 10-3 final record, was underwhelming and a large part of the woes James Franklin’s team had in 2023. Wide receivers struggled to find separation, and running backs struggled to make splash plays for much of the season. On the other end, Penn State’s defensive unit was one of the best in all of college football. Statistically, the Nittany Lion defense was behind only Big Ten foe and National Champion Michigan.

Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen both are entering their junior seasons at Penn State, and both will be looking to show out before next spring’s NFL draft. Both players are highly touted and boast plenty of experience. Expect the two-headed monster to give teams fits this coming season. James Franklin’s RB unit is in a better spot now than it was a year ago, thanks to redshirt freshman Cam Wallace and true freshman Quinton Martin.

Quinton Martin and Cam Wallace look to have immediate impact

Quinton Martin, a former top-three recruit in Pennsylvania, had a spectacular spring. He notched two rushing touchdowns in the Blue-White Game and showed plenty of other flashes. Cam Wallace also had a great afternoon, with a few angry runs that knocked defenders over. Wallace is going into his second season as a Nittany Lion but redshirted the 2023 season.   If this unit plays to its potential, look for it to be one of the best in the country.

Comparison-wise, it is easy to look at the veteran backs and see similarities to the young guys. Quinton Martin looks more speedy and shifty, like Nick Singleton. Wallace shows more stout, gritty, hard-hitting type of runs, similar to Kaytron Allen and his style. Having a 1-2 punch like this between both veterans and young guys is a breath of fresh air. Should a veteran go down, expect a young guy to jump in and the unit to not miss a beat. The Nittany Lions should be able to impose their will on opponents by utilizing the ground game throughout the 2024 season.

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