Photo by Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images Run the damn ball, Andy. Running backs are back. After much discussion in 2023 about a running back’s place in the world, the 2024 NFL offseason has proven that they, indeed, hold a lot of value. Running back vibes are at an all-time high. In college football, an elite running back can change a game much faster than in the NFL. Fresher legs, wackier schemes, and less all-around talent can make one individually talented player carry an entire offense or defense. I think Nick Singleton can be that guy for Penn State in 2024. I remember exactly when I knew Singleton was special. In the Beaver Stadium press box on September 10, 2022, I watched him evade a backfield tackle and outrun Ohio University’s entire defense for a 44-yard touchdown. Not since Lamont Wade’s 100-yard kick-return touchdown against Illinois in 2020 (I’m kinda joking, but also not really) have I seen such turn-on-the-jets speed in person. A sophomore slump from Singleton should not let you convince yourself that your eyes are lying to you. He’s explosive, he’s quick, and he’s due for a bounce-back season. It’s no secret that the Nittany Lions’ offense was bad last year. A lack of a true vertical threat and lackluster play-action stifled the exciting run defense we saw in 2022. Singleton and his backfield counterpart, Kaytron Allen, failed to use terrific true freshman campaigns as springboards for noteworthy follow-up years. Neither of them had bad seasons, but it felt like the post-Rose Bowl hype died out. Now that Andy Kotelnicki has the offensive reigns, I’m tantalized by how the offense could look next year. He has more weapons to work with than Mike Yurcich did and much fresher ideas than Penn State’s ex-OC. Imagine this, but with Nick Singleton: a little Kansas offense mouthwash for your TL pic.twitter.com/np6xtD86hx— Nate Tice (@Nate_Tice) March 12, 2024 It’s easy to be excited again about a player we all were excited about before. It feels like Singleton is being overlooked after a lackadaisical sophomore season, and I’m ready for a resurgence. With an upgraded wide receiver room, defenses will have no choice but to cheat off the line and favor the passing attack. This was a luxury they got very used to while watching Penn State’s film last year, and the ground game suffered. With a (theoretically) more balanced offense, Singleton will have more room to shine. Next year’s schedule screams “Run the freaking football,” too. With former Pac-12 teams like USC and Washington on the schedule, the opportunities for ground-and-pound and explosive run plays grow. Just look at the previous two Rose Bowls that Penn State played in. I don’t think the West Virginia game will even be over before we welcome back the Nick Singleton we all once knew and loved. Source: https://www.blackshoediaries.com/2024/3 ... -backs-cfb