Nick Singleton Rediscovers His Edge as Penn State Rolls Over Villanova
STATE COLLEGE – Under a clear September sky at Beaver Stadium, Penn State running back Nick Singleton looked like a player set free.
Just six days earlier, head coach James Franklin had pulled him aside with some tough but honest advice: stop overthinking and start playing with instinct. Singleton carried that message into Saturday’s clash with Villanova, and it showed. He ran hard, ran confident, and ran with purpose, finishing with 84 yards and two touchdowns in the Nittany Lions’ emphatic 52-6 victory.
“Coach just told me to let it rip,” Singleton said, smiling as if a weight had been lifted. “Today, I wasn’t trying to make everything perfect. I was just out there trusting myself. You’re going to make mistakes in football. It’s about finding those yards, even the dirty yards.”
The Weight of History
When Singleton crossed the goal line for his second touchdown, the roar from 100,000-plus fans wasn’t just for the score it was for the history books. With that run, Singleton moved to 46 career touchdowns, inching closer to the great Saquon Barkley, who sits atop Penn State’s all-time list.
He also climbed to third in career rushing touchdowns with 37, now only one behind Lydell Mitchell and six behind Barkley. For a kid from Shillington, Pennsylvania, who grew up idolizing Nittany Lion legends, it was a surreal moment.
“To even be mentioned with those names it’s crazy,” Singleton admitted. “But honestly, I just want to help my team win. Records will come if I keep doing my job.”
A Complete Effort
It wasn’t just the stat line that told the story. Singleton was everywhere taking 20 carries (his heaviest load since his sophomore year), catching a short pass, and even throwing a pivotal block that sprung quarterback Drew Allar on a third-quarter scramble.
Those little details mattered to Franklin. “Nick’s always been explosive,” the coach said, “but today he showed the full package. He ran tough, caught the ball, blocked he impacted the game in every way.”
Fans noticed too. After his key block, Singleton received as loud a cheer as if he’d scored. “That’s Penn State football,” one fan shouted from the student section. “Unselfish plays, baby!”
Sharing the Spotlight
Of course, the Nittany Lions’ backfield remains a two-man show. Kaytron Allen had his own big day, rushing 10 times for 86 yards and a touchdown. Usually, the two backs split carries evenly, but on Saturday, Singleton carried more of the load. Franklin insisted it wasn’t planned.
“That’s just how the game went,” Franklin said. “Both guys are essential to what we do.”
Still, Allen didn’t seem to mind. On the sideline, the two were often seen laughing and celebrating each other’s runs, a sign of their chemistry and mutual respect.
Local Pride
The day also belonged to hometown stories. Four Berks County products saw action, and the highlight came in the fourth quarter when Joey Schlaffer, a former Exeter High School standout, caught a 19-yard touchdown from backup quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer.
For Schlaffer, now in his third season and buried on the depth chart behind Khalil Dinkins, Luke Reynolds, and Andrew Rappleyea, it was a long-awaited moment.
“The crowd went nuts,” one Penn State alum said, clapping as Schlaffer celebrated with his teammates. “You could feel how much it meant to him.”
Franklin agreed: “Joey’s been patient, he’s been grinding, and today he got rewarded. That was a special moment.”
A Turning Point
As the final whistle blew and fans poured out of Beaver Stadium, the mood was one of excitement and reassurance. Penn State looked dominant, the offense clicked, and the defense held firm. But the storyline belonged to Singleton a player who rediscovered the joy in his game.
“I want the ball,” he said with a grin that seemed equal parts relief and determination. “That’s my mentality. Whether it’s two carries, 20 carries, whatever I’ll do anything to help this team.”
And with that mindset, Singleton isn’t just chasing Barkley’s records he’s chasing something even bigger: the freedom to play the game the way he was always meant to.
