Here's why RB Nick Singleton is poised to lead Penn State to new heights

Microphones were out. Cameras were on, their lights shining bright. A narrow hallway in the depths of the Rose Bowl echoed with questions flying from every which way.

Nick Singleton was the main attraction.

Penn State’s star freshman stole the show at “The Granddaddy of Them All.” His 87-yard touchdown run, the third-longest in the 109-year history of the Rose Bowl, has been replayed time and time again. In that postgame interview, Singleton, smiling with his shoulder pads still on, was reliving the defining moment of his young career.

He thought about what it meant for the seniors. He thought about what it meant for his legacy. Most of all, he thought about what that run and what that win meant for Penn State moving forward. “It sets the tone,” Singleton said.

In a lot of ways, that mad dash — that moment seared in his mind and the minds of Nittany Lion fans for years to come — is a sign of what’s to come in 2023.

Penn State has high expectations this fall. We’re talking College Football Playoff kind of expectations, and there’s a lot that goes into that. There’s the defense, led by Chop Robinson, Abdul Carter and Kalen King. There’s the offensive line, anchored by Olu Fashanu. There’s Drew Allar, a quarterback with all the potential in the world.

But a major reason why Penn State is pegged as Big Ten and even national championship contenders is the 19-year-old kid from Governor Mifflin.

Singleton is one of the best running backs in the country. And by the end of the 2023 season, he might be the top tailback in college football. As a true freshman, he rushed for 1,061 yards and 12 touchdowns. His 6.8 yards per carry ranked fourth nationally among backs with at least 150 carries. His seven rushes of 40 yards or more was second-most in the FBS and the most among Power Five players.

Fashanu called Singleton “an animal” and “a pure home-run hitter.” Offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich lauded him as “an everydown back.” Running backs coach Ja’Juan Seider said Singleton and his backfield mate, Kaytron Allen, “put the team on their backs as true freshmen.”

That’s rare. It’s also not necessarily surprising given Singleton’s pedigree. He was the 2021 Gatorade National Player of the Year, after all. But Singleton has room to grow and so much more to give the Nittany Lions.

“Being a five-star player, everyone thinks you’re pretty good. But Nick had to learn that he was really good, at least early on, because he’s so humble,” Seider said. “It’s unique when your best player can have that type of work ethic and be that coachable. That’s the thing with Nick. He has a long way to go, and that’s scary.”

That potential — the possibility of Singleton being even better than he was as a freshman — is frightening for opposing defenses. It should be.

The 224-pound back with speed you can’t teach showed improvement week after week last season. He ran harder. He blocked better. He exhibited more patience. From the start of the season until the Rose Bowl, Singleton developed into a tailback no one could tackle even if they wanted to.

So much of what makes Singleton successful stems from his mentality. He’s an unassuming guy. He laughed when asked at Penn State media day if he’s still getting used to the interviews and fanfare. “It’s a little weird,” Singleton said. When asked about the Rose Bowl run, he gave credit to his offensive line.

“It wasn’t all me,” the sophomore pointed out.

Even though a lot of talk this offseason has centered on Singleton — on what he has done and what he can do — he’s not one to get caught up in the limelight.

“Nick’s one of those kids that doesn’t get too high, doesn’t get too low,” Seider said. “We have to be a thermostat. We have to be set at 70, that perfect temperature. Not too hot, not too cold. That’s what Nick is. He doesn’t get too caught up in the pats on the back. He’s not a big social media guy. He’s allowed himself to stay humble. But let’s be honest, he’s still a young guy. He’s learning how to process all this.”

As he navigates stardom, Singleton leans on what got him to this point.

Singleton has been praised for his work ethic since he stepped foot on campus. When he enrolled last January, he didn’t let the five-star status get to his head. He hit the weight room. He watched film. He picked the brains of older running backs in the room — players who later transferred because Singleton stole their snaps.

Singleton isn’t much of a talker. He laughed that off, too, acknowledging that he’s trying to be more vocal as he gets older. For now, he’s going to keep leading by example — and it’s a pretty good example for everyone in the program, young and old, to follow.

Allar, who shares with his classmate the burden of expectation, was asked a simple question about Singleton this offseason: What makes him special?

“First off, it’s his personality and his work ethic. That’s the reason why he is who he is today,” Allar said. “He is by far one of the unquestioned hardest workers on our team. He comes to every practice, every workout with the same mentality that he’s going to get something out of it. He pushes others. He pushes the offense. He pushes the defense. He does a great job of being the same guy every day.”

Allar added that Singleton’s athleticism “makes him different from most people in the country.” Anyone who watched Penn State last season can attest to that. But it’s his approach that has allowed Singleton to separate himself from the pack.

Singleton is a different breed — the superstar who doesn’t crave attention and the kind of athlete that can ignite a stadium in a split-second.

That’s what he did at the Rose Bowl. As he crossed the line of scrimmage and broke a tackle 6 yards downfield, he was off. The Penn State faithful knew at that point he’d sprint all the way to the end zone. As ABC’s Chris Fowler put it in the moment: “Busting free is Singleton. Nick Singleton in a foot race, one that he will win.”

It’s a run that will give Penn State fans chills every time they flip it on. It gave Singleton chills, too, in the hours, days and weeks after the game.

But Singleton hasn’t watched the Rose Bowl run in a long time. He doesn’t want to dwell on what has already happened. He’s too focused on what lies ahead.

“It’s in the past,” Singleton said. “Now, we have to worry about getting better.”

How do you get better than a win at the Rose Bowl? Getting back there for a College Football Playoff semifinal. And if the Nittany Lions do that — if they get to where they’ve never been before — you can bet Singleton will be a big reason why.