Saturday’s loss to Oregon left a cloud of disappointment that still lingers in the Penn State locker room, but running back Kaytron Allen isn’t letting it define the season. Instead, he’s using it as a springboard for growth as part of a Nittany Lion team determined to bounce back.
“We’re just trying to come back and learn from what happened Saturday and get better,” Allen said on Tuesday. “It started Saturday, flipping the script on going to the next opponent and just trying to be focused on ourselves and be better.”
As crushing as the 30-24 double overtime defeat was, Penn State has to regroup before heading across the country to face 0-4 UCLA on Saturday.
For Allen, who has been a key part of the Penn State offense over the last three-plus seasons, the path forward is rooted in accountability and self-improvement. The running back is coming off a performance that was solid statistically, but like the rest of his teammates, he saw areas where he could have done more.
“I think I’m playing better than what I was,” Allen said. “I think I still got a lot of things that I need to work on. I’ve just been trying to play free, just being me, just sticking to what got me here … just trying to get better and learn from everything.”
Allen emphasized that the growth he’s seeking goes beyond just carrying the ball. He mentioned blocking and receiving as areas for improvement as well.
Saturday’s loss, in Allen’s mind, might serve as a necessary turning point. Though the defeat to Oregon stung, he believes setbacks like that are essential in shaping a championship-caliber team.
“Sometimes you need them setbacks like Saturday,” Allen said. “Not saying we wanted it, but sometimes we need to get back to who we are … Just sometimes you need them games, them tight moments to grow better and be better for real.”
Allen took 12 carries for 54 yards with one score on Saturday and is averaging 7.1 yards per carry across four games this season. While he continues to put up strong numbers, he’s focused on what’s not seen in the box score: discipline, preparation and the work behind the scenes.
“Just self reflecting, just knowing what I need to work on,” he said. “Trying to focus on the main things I need to work on. Speed, agility, making somebody miss, just doing things that get me out of my comfort zone to be a better person, be better than what I was from the previous year.”
Allen credited his progress to the structure and attention to detail brought by running backs coach Stan Drayton and the support of teammates and staff members.
“I’m playing fast, seeing it different,” Allen said. “That’s just the credit to Coach Drayton, just the O-line, everybody for real … I just tried to buy in more and made myself do more to get better results. I feel like it’s kind of been playing out. I still don’t think I hit my best peak yet.”
That peak, he hopes, is still to come. It may arrive at just the right time, as Penn State enters the heart of Big Ten play with all its goals still within arm’s reach. Allen said Drayton has harped on the little details, like how to read the second level of the defense.
His counterpart, Nick Singleton, who’s been his running mate since the two arrived as freshmen in 2022, has struggled this season. Against the Ducks, Singleton tallied just 21 yards on 11 carries. His previous performances weren’t much better.
When asked about Singleton’s uncharacteristic early season struggles, Allen stood firmly behind his teammate, offering support and shared accountability.
“He’ll be good. I know he’ll be good,” Allen said. “We put a lot of work in the offseason, and we both got things that we need to work on. It’s not just him. I could have done better too. So we just gotta get back in the zone. We’ll just keep trying to get better and just learn from the game and get better for real.”
