Running back Nick Singleton could become even more involved in the Nittany Lions’ passing game as Penn State looks to unlock the full potential of its sophomore star.
Just this past weekend, Singleton recorded a season-high three catches on four targets as Penn State eventually rolled past Illinois 30-13. While multiple players hauled in three receptions on Saturday, Singleton was technically Penn State’s leading receiver, racking up 49 yards. The shift in getting Singleton more involved in the passing game comes after he had just two total receptions against Delaware and West Virginia while being targeted only twice over those two games.
“I did feel like I did good today but I know I can get better with stuff like that,” Singleton said following Penn State’s win over the Illini. “I worked on it throughout the whole summer, getting better at that. I want to be a complete back for my team, just to show them that I can do anything.”
Time will tell if Penn State sticks with an effort to get Singleton the ball through the air, but the trend is tentatively there and the results are too. Singleton is already up to five receptions this year, just six catches shy of his entire 2022 total. Interestingly enough, Singleton’s catch total against Illinois mirrors a bit of how former Nittany Lion Saquon Barkley was used on the road. Barkley had 64 career receptions away from Beaver Stadium while catching just 38 within the friendly confines.
Whatever the case might be, the more dynamic Singleton is, the better off the Nittany Lions will be. Penn State is 23rd in the nation in rushing yards per game with a 208.33 average at a 4.63 yard per carry clip. Penn State is also 16th in total attempts with 135 rushes so far this season, a mark that works out to the 11th most attempts per game in college football. Clock-churning second-half play has swayed this a bit to be sure, with Penn State offering up backup quarterback turned battering ram Beau Pribula to opposing defenses. That said, while Penn State struggles ever so slightly to get explosive plays on the board rather than four or five yards a snap, Singleton’s skillset is perhaps just too great to limit how he gets his touches.
“Obviously being able to catch the ball out of the backfield scares defenses a lot,” Singleton said. “So it’s not just being able to run the ball but being able to catch it out of the backfield as well.”
It’s probably an unfair bar to hold Singleton to when it comes to comparing him to Barkley, but as Penn State goes into the thick of Big Ten play, especially on Saturday against a stingy Iowa defense, they’ll get Singleton the ball anyway they can. Even if he isn’t hurdling over people in the process.
