Stan Drayton was formally introduced as Penn State’s running backs coach on Monday, returning to position coaching after four years as Temple’s head coach. Drayton, one of the most accomplished running back developers of the past few decades, has filled the shoes of Ja’Juan Seider, who recently left the Nittany Lions for Notre Dame.
In Drayton’s arsenal are Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen, a pair who each eclipsed 1,000 rushing yards this past season. Drayton discussed his excitement to coach such a dynamic duo, what he learned about his experience as a head coach and more during his Introductory press conference on Monday.
Here’s everything Drayton discussed.
What kind of impact did Ken O’Keefe and Joe Philbin (who were head coach and OC at his alma mater and first coaching gig Allegheny} have on your coaching career?
“A tremendous impact in terms of just giving me a whiteboard and teaching me how to draw a circle, just understanding the game from its bare essence. Really appreciate those guys. They were relentless in that process early for me, a lot of grinding nights on just trying to figure out just the essence of the game itself. So I owe a lot to those two individuals for where I am today. No doubt.
“I think as a football player, I was very relentless in my approach to being as good as I can be. I was a leader by example, I think. I was pretty quiet early in my career. Got frustrated with guys on my team, or necessarily in my unit, when they weren’t giving the type of effort or the type of seriousness that I think the game deserved at that time.
“And they saw some of those outward conversations that I had with my teammates. And I made guys better around me, quote unquote, from those guys from Ken O’Keefe and Joe Philbin. So I think that’s what they saw in me. They saw a future coach who loved the game, who was serious about achieving greatness and reaching the full potential in whatever it is I was doing at that point. They saw a coach in me when I didn’t. So I’m really thankful for those two guys.”
Why did you decide to take the year off and what made this the right situation for you?
“Early on, you know, this kind of idle down, tough time sleeping, missing the opportunity to coach. My wife does not receive my coaching very well, so I channeled that energy somewhere. And really found out early on when lacking the sleep and just kind of itching to get around the game and always watching ESPN, reading about football all the time, and found out that football was just coaching to my balance. It’s going to balance me out. And everybody in the household is happy when I’m coaching. And it can be very agitating to them when I’m not coaching.
“So it’s just in me. And I just love being around young people. I love helping young people reach their full potential and help them achieve the dreams that they have for themselves. And I just think that’s something that is my calling. So I just had to get back into it.”
Were you actively searching for coaching opportunities or did this happen organically?
“It really happened organically. There was some conversation after Temple of me maybe joining in as a senior analyst role for other programs across the country. I had some interest in that area. Had some calls that I entertained and still wasn’t quite sure. But the longer I stayed idle, the more and more I got agitated with it.
“And Coach Franklin was a guy who I’ve known for years, and he called me right after the Temple situation and just wished me well. And, if there’s anything that he can do for me, just let him know, I can get around the program if I wanted. He invited me to come up and sit around. And I thought during that time was really important for me to give my family that time that they’ve missed with me.
“But as time went on, just got the itch again. So I think we interviewed on February the 10th, and it became really real. That was something that I wanted to do. On this interview, I got even more excited about the opportunity, and I’m glad it took place on the 14th where it was that time for me to make a decision on that. So, very, very happy to be here, and definitely something that I’m excited to be a part of right now.”
How can you help Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen become NFL Draft prospects?
“It’s unfair for me to say exactly what they need right now. I mean, those guys have had some really good production on the football field over the last years… here at Penn State, and they’re very, very talented individuals. I will know more the more I’m around them.
“The one thing that I try to pride myself on is identifying their weaknesses and addressing those weaknesses early on in their development, while we’re together. And figuring that out right now is going to take a little bit of time, but just seeing the big picture as a running back is really critical for their success. Being able to anticipate situations, as opposed to react to situations, is what’s going to keep them playing the game for a long time and also keep them healthy.
“So I don’t know where they are in that level of thought process as a football player right now, but we’re going to dive into that really, really soon here and figure it out quickly and start addressing those weaknesses. But they all have weaknesses, right and we’re going to address those weaknesses early and often.”
What did James Franklin tell you about Singleton and Allen and how have you broken the ice with those two?
“The one thing he told me about those guys is that they love the game. They want to expand their roles in the Penn State offense, expand their roles as individuals, and they have goals. They came back to Penn State for a reason — to elevate their status for the next level, as well. And this is something that I’ve done for over a 32-year experience as a coach, where I’ve taken guys, no matter where they are in their development, and taken them to where they want to go.
“And blessings, I’ve been very fortunate to be around some very talented individuals over my career. And to say the same about those two guys, I mean, they’re right up along in the same talent level as anybody I’ve coached to this point. So it’s just a matter of I know they love the game, and that’s kind of like my deal. If you love the game, I got you. I can really make you do a whole lot of things because the game requires so much. And if you’re serious about loving the game, then we’re gonna be a perfect marriage.”
“During that time, me being hired here is just a matter of me trying to set some standards in place for them, some expectations that we have as a unit for each other, and also what I have for them as individuals. We’re still in the early stages of that. We’re going to live through some experiences here, winter conditioning starts tomorrow, and they’re going to have a chance to see and hear my voice in a different tone, as opposed to just in a calm setting over dinner.
“I’m very serious about their development. And when they tell me their individual goals, those goals become my goals, and we’re going to be relentless in pursuing those goals together. So I’m looking forward to it. I know these are two individuals that care a lot about this team and care a lot about where they’re trying to go in their future, and that’s exactly my mindset. So we’re going to be a perfect marriage.”
What did you learn most from being a head coach and what are you most excited for about going back into position coaching?
“You learn a lot as a head coach. The role really takes you away from a lot of the intricacies of coaching because you’re the CEO of a program, and alignment becomes very, very critical, from the top to the bottom. And now me coming back to this role, being a position coach and having an opportunity to bring a head coaching experience of an example of being aligned to Coach Franklin’s vision for Penn State, it’s something that I think is going to be beneficial for everyone.
“But I’m so excited to have my own room and actually be able to hold a shield and set up a bag drill. And actually running a meeting in a room setting with those guys in an intimate setting. This is something that I really missed as a head football coach. I mean, I had those opportunities to present in front of a team, but the intimacies of you having your own unit and getting specific with individuals to help them maintain their goals is something that I missed.
“But the alignment piece is going to be critical, again. The No. 1 thing I learned from Temple was, without alignment, it’s a tough goal. And here I’ve already seen the level of alignment that’s from top to bottom here at Penn State which makes me even more excited to be a Penn Stater.”
What did you learn most about yourself from your four years at Temple?
“I really do love the game. I love everything about the game. The one advantage of being a head football coach is that you do have the ability to not only develop a room, but also set a standard of development for your coaches and your staff, as well. And I learned that I was pretty decent at that point of it. I was able to really get people to buy into a vision, and sell them on why the vision is what it is. It was all about developing the whole man.
“And sometimes we get lost in the game of football, of just obtaining wins and losses, trying to win ball games, and then you forget the development of the young man itself. And so that was one of the things that I enjoyed most at Temple, was being able to give a perspective of when you develop the whole man, you develop a person that is going to be successful, both on and off the field of play.
“And you’re also putting a product out there that’s going to be hopefully a great husband and father to individuals and maybe hopefully a leader of young men in the process of doing that, as well. So those are the things that I take from Temple that hopefully I could bring to coaches and even players here at Penn State.”
Is a two-running back system, like the one with Singleton and Allen, ideal?
“No question about it for the durability of the individual itself, keeping tread on the tire, having competition in the room is all positive. To be able to share the load, that’s going to be productive for Penn State’s offense. Not just for the individual, but what’s constructive and productive for what we’re trying to achieve here as a football team.
“And the thing I love about, one of the first things I learned of the Penn State offense and Day 1 being here, is that the best players are going to play. If they’re in the running back room, they’re in the tight end room, we’re going to find ways to get those guys on the field.
“But for the individual, today’s game, you really can’t have one running back in a system and expect him to be healthy at the end of the year and obtain the goals that you have set for the program. So we are a very talented room. There’s no question about it. Those two names come up quite a bit, but there’s some really young talent in that room that I’m excited to put my hands on and develop. And let’s see what we can put out there to help us win some ball games around here.”
