Last season Penn State’s offense exploded on the rest of the league. A scoring average of 33.1 points versus only allowing 16.5? Those are eye popping numbers. With that, a +17 point differential across 16 games shows what they are capable of. Now fast forward to 2025, the vibes haven’t changed a bit. RB Nick Singleton has impressed early on, fully embracing his role. Kaytron Allen also sets the tone early. It looks like these guys are ready to make an impact on offense real fast. This unit is gearing up for something major.

Penn State’s backfield in 2025 will feature the dynamic duo of Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen for a fourth consecutive season. Such consistency in college football is rare. Since arriving, they’ve split carries evenly, each consistently exceeding 1,000 yards without missing a game. Their durability matches their production, and their decision to stay despite three stellar seasons speaks volumes about Penn State’s trajectory and their aspirations.

Even Penn State’s OC Andy Kotelnicki talks about their impact and offseason moves on Locked on Nittany Lions. “In their offseason, they both had to improve and diversify themselves as football players—not just be the guy who’s going to take a handoff. It’s really going to help our football team on offense. I’m excited for them to showcase even more of what they can do outside of just taking a handoff from the quarterback. I’m excited for that and for them,” he said.

Nicholas Singleton turned it up a notch when it counted, averaging 7.2 yards per carry in Penn State’s last four games. Totaling 366 yards and five touchdown, three of which came in the close CFP semifinal against Notre Dame. While Singleton provided the excitement, Kaytron Allen remained the reliable workhorse. He’s the guy you rely on for a crucial 3rd and 2. The one who excels at the goal line and finishes games when the defense is tired. It’s not always glamorous. But it’s the kind of role that leads to championships, and Allen has perfected it.

But if you are looking for a contrast, then Allen has always been the powerful runner with a bigger build, and the stats to back it up. In their first two seasons, Allen performed better on critical downs, achieving a 61% success rate on 2nd down and 58% on 3rd. While Singleton’s numbers were lower at 45% and 32%, respectively. Even on 1st down, Allen held the advantage at 52.5% versus Singleton’s 47.5%.

So, Kaytron Allen consistently moves the chains and Nick Singleton provides the big plays. Together, they’ve been a challenge for defenses. Coming into their fourth year, they could be even more formidable. But despite the talent, they will need to produce without the help of one of their key staff members. But James Franklin is not worried.

James Franklin’s impact on Penn State

James Franklin has a clear philosophy for his coaching staff: produce or leave. He doesn’t hesitate to make changes if assistants aren’t performing, whether in player development or recruiting. He demonstrated this by firing wide receivers coach Taylor Stubblefield after an 11-2 season. While Stubblefield wasn’t bad, “average” wasn’t good enough when competing with Ohio State for top recruits and playoff contention. Franklin demands elite contributions from his staff, not just mediocrity.

This isn’t the Penn State of old, where coaches stayed for years regardless of results. Franklin runs the program like a business. He brought in Joe Moorhead, who led them to a Big Ten title, and swiftly replaced unsuccessful hires like Kirk Ciarrocca and David Corley. Though it might seem ruthless, he’s doing what’s necessary to keep Penn State nationally relevant. The expectation is simple: contribute to the program’s success or find another job. It’s just the reality of Penn State college football.

So does this mean James Franklin loves to micromanage his coaching staff without giving them an upper hand? Well, it looks like that’s not exactly the case. As Andy Kotelnicki highlights the entire mindset that Franklin carries while managing his coaching staff and giving them an open space to make decisions. “What I respect about the way James has run this program is that there are a lot of people, and he’s done a great job of hiring people, and he does a great job of developing those people in those positions, but he lets them do their jobs. But if he feels like he wants something done differently, he’s going to communicate or at least ask, Why are we doing it this way?” he said.

And it’s already paying off. In Andy Kotelnicki’s debut season, Penn State’s offense took off, leading the Big Ten in 15+ yard pass plays at 22.8% (5th nationally) and ranking second in overall big play percentage at 16.5%. They’re racking up serious yardage. Franklin trusts his coaches, and Kotelnicki is already proving him right. “If I was just being a yes man, or to the point before, if I felt like I was just being micromanaged, I wouldn’t feel like I’m making an impact on a football team the way at least I think I can. But he 100% lets us, you know, coach lets us do what he hired us to do,” Coach Andy said. Now, with an offense ready to make an impact and a coach staff fired up with enthusiasm, James Franklin’s team is ready for a title run this year.