Over the last decade or so, under the leadership of Head Coach James Franklin, Penn State has become the breeding ground of some of the best running backs in all of football. Saquon Barkley, Miles Sanders, and Journey Brown have all run the field at Beaver Stadium. The Nittany Lions have a pair of highly touted sophomore running backs Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen. I will be writing an article on each of these dynamic playmakers. Despite having a fantastic true freshman season at Happy Valley, Kaytron Allen is flying under the radar for many fantasy and devy analysts. For this article, we will examine the 1b in the Nittany Lions running game. Without further ado, let us examine the Kaytron Bomb.
Background
Despite being a lesser-recruited player than his teammate, Allen was nonetheless a high-level prospect out of Florida. Allen hails from the legendary IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. This is the same school that produced the likes of Bo Scarbrough and Derrick Henry. Allen came out of school as the No.15 ranked RB in the country, according to 247sports.com. You can see his High School highlights below.
Just like his backfield partner, Singleton, Allen had his choice ofseveralf heavy hitter programs to play his college ball. He was recruited by in-state powerhouses Florida and Florida State. He also received offers from Michigan State and Georgia before eventually settling on Penn State for his college career.
Freshman Season
Allen made his presence felt almost immediately upon arriving in Happy Valley. Just like his partner-in-crime, SIngleton, Allen got some immediate run with the starters at the annual Blue and White spring game. His style is much different than Singleton, who is more of a slasher and home run hitter. Allen is a bulldozer who punishes defenders and wears them down as the game progresses. In a way, he is the perfect compliment to Singleton.
Singleton had the better stats overall as a 1,000-yard rusher, but Allen was no slouch in his own right. The former IMG star routinely made plays throughout his freshman season on his way to nearly 900 rushing yards and double-digit TDs. You can see his freshman stats below.
| Rushing | Receiving | Scrimmage | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | School | Conf | Class | Pos | G | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | TD | Plays | Yds | Avg | TD |
| *2022 | Penn State | Big Ten | SO | RB | 13 | 167 | 867 | 5.2 | 10 | 20 | 188 | 9.4 | 1 | 187 | 1055 | 5.6 | 11 |
| Career | Penn State | 167 | 867 | 5.2 | 10 | 20 | 188 | 9.4 | 1 | 187 | 1055 | 5.6 | 11 | ||||
Allen’s numbers, combined with Singleton’s, are truly historic. “They became the only true freshman teammates in Big Ten history to finish with 700 yards rushing each.” The dynamic duo helped lead PSU to an 11-2 final record and a Rose Bowl victory over Utah. Combined with new starting QB Drew Allar and the weapons in the passing gam, thee future is bright in Happy Valley.
Film Study
I mentioned above that Allen was the Thunder to Singleton’s lightning. However, that doesn’t mean that Allen is running in the mud. When you watch the film of the dynamic freshman, you will quickly notice that he has some nice speed for the running back position.
While it is true that Allen does have adequate speed, the area that sets him apart is running with power.
The youngster routinely ran through arm tackles and made defenders pay when they took him to the ground.
He was also extremely capable of moving the pile.
One interesting distinction between Singleton and Allen is that Allen was the more accomplished pass catcher. Despite being the hammer, Head Coach James Franklin made far more use of Allen as a pass catcher.
Once he got the ball in his hands, he was also able to make some nice yards after the catch as well.
One area where power backs can regularly be lacking is wiggle in their hips. Allen will certainly never be confused for Reggie Bush. Still, he did have some ability to bounce plays to the outside and use his natural agility to complement his power-running style.
Final Thoughts
For my money, Allen and Singleton for the best running back duo in the nation. They are primed to build on their historic freshman seasons. Head Coach James Franklin has routinely developed quality running backs that translate well to the next level. If there is one area to be critical of Allen, it is his long speed. He can be caught from behind by faster defensive players. He will likely work on this area over the next couple of seasons.
When it comes to Devy players, Allen is a nice bargain. He is routinely taken far later than his teammate. No matter which of these dynamic players is in the backfield over the next couple of years in Happy Valley, quarterback Drew Allar will have a quality weapon to help take the pressure off his shoulders. If you miss out on Singleton in your devy drafts, do yourself a favor and scoop up his talented teammate. I promise you will like what you see in these excellent running backs.
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