Kyle Golik
Penn State Writer
To say the 2025 Penn State offense is misfiring on all cylinders might be accurate, but one running back seems to have not missed a beat.
Senior Kaytron Allen, nicknamed “Fatman,” has seemingly been a phoenix as he continues to rise to the occasion for Penn State.
“I think I’m playing better than what I was,” Allen said earlier this week as he met with the media. “I think I got a lot of things that I need to work on. I’ve been trying to play free, just being me, just sticking to what got me here, just being me and just trying to get better and learn from everything for real. Like I said, there’s still things I need to work on. I ain’t think I hit my best peak yet. I’m still reaching for it.”
So far in 2025, Allen is the leading rusher for the Nittany Lions, rushing for 327 yards (46 carries), averaging 7.1 yards per carry, to go along with four rushing touchdowns.
PFF College has recognized Allen’s output, having him as the highest graded offensive starter with a 77.2 offensive grade.
Allen’s surge is coming at an interesting time for him and the program.
Penn State lost running backs coach Ja’Juan Seider to the same position at Notre Dame.
Seider created a culture of family and togetherness that has kept the running back room very tight-knit.
Franklin sought to find an upgrade by landing longtime running backs coach and former Temple head coach Stan Drayton as Seider’s successor.
The resume for Drayton speaks for itself, being a running backs coach for nearly a quarter century with stops in college at Tennessee, Syracuse, Florida, Texas, and Ohio State.
Drayton also spent time in the NFL with the Green Bay Packers (2001-2003) and the Chicago Bears (2015).
Coaching and developing such running backs as Ezekiel Elliott, Bijan Robinson, Carlos Hyde, and Matt Forte on his resume, with two national championships, demonstrated the pedigree Drayton brought to a loaded running back room in State College.
As Allen contemplated a move to the 2025 NFL Draft, he realized he needed some refinements to aid his draft stock.
Allen returned for another year of development under Drayton and head coach James Franklin where they told him to be uncomfortable and work on the details that will make him coveted at the next level.
It has impacted his game for the positive.
“I feel totally different,” Allen said. “I’m playing faster, seeing it different. That’s just credit to (running backs) coach (Stan) Drayton, just the whole line, everybody for real just playing a part of it. I just tried to buy in more and made myself do more to get better results. I feel like it kind of been paying off.”
Allen’s backfield partner Nick Singleton has been a bit off this season.
While scoring five touchdowns already on the season, Singleton hasn’t been able to find the hole he usually exploits for a long run.
Allen isn’t concerned about it.
“He’s going to be good,” he said. “We put in a lot of work in the offseason. We both have things to work on. We have to get back to the drawing board, try to get better and learn from Saturday’s game. You’re going to see it (Singleton break out). It’s going to show.”
The confidence in Singleton is also shared by Franklin.
“I think Nick, although the statistics would not say this, is playing consistent, how he’s played in the past,” Franklin said. “The difference with Nick is there has usually been one or two runs where there has been a space, a gap, a hole, where he can rip off an explosive run.”
As Singleton and Allen duel for Evan Royster’s program record of 3,932 rushing yards, their goals are even higher: winning the first national championship since 1986.
The loss to Oregon was deflating, but Allen feels there was a lot learned that will eventually pay dividends for the Nittany Lions in their national championship pursuit.
“It’s going to happen,” he said. “Everything’s not going to be perfect in football. Sometimes you need lessons. Sometimes you need setbacks. I’m not saying we wanted a thing like Saturday, but sometimes we need it to get back to who we are.”
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