“It affords me more flexibility to try to utilize those guys in ways that are going to put stress on the defense,” Nittany Lions offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki said of Kaytron Allen and Nick Singleton on Thursday. “They’re both playing football at the highest level they have this year.”

Allen and Singleton each surpassed six yards per carry in two postseason matchups. Previously, that hadn’t happened since September non-conference competition.

“There were some times during the season where both of them were banged up at certain points,” Penn State head coach James Franklin said. “But these last couple of weeks, they have been as healthy as they have been all year long. I think it showed up that way on film, and statistically the last two weeks.”

Against Oregon in the Big Ten Championship Game, Allen and Singleton both surpassed 100 rushing yards in the same game for the second time in their career, which includes 39 contests together. Singleton gained 105 yards on 10 rushes (10.5 average) and added four receptions for 43 yards with another score. Allen totaled 124 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries (8.9 average), producing three gains of at least 24 yards.

“They are really good complementary pieces,” Franklin said this week. “I know the expression is probably overused, but ‘thunder and lightning’ is a good expression or a good description for those guys. Nick has the ability to go the distance with his speed, his explosive ability. Kaytron is a violent, physical runner. … They’re both smart, high football IQ guys.”

During the playoff opener, a 38-10 victory over SMU in which Allen and Singleton observed late possessions, they each averaged 6.4 yards per rush attempt. Allen produced 70 yards and two touchdowns on 11 carries, adding two catches for 28 yards, while Singleton totaled 90 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries.

“Both are kind of back to being at full strength, and you can kind of see that the last couple of weeks, the way they both ran the football,” Kotelnicki said. “They’re so complementary of each other in terms of their skill sets and how we use them. Obviously, they’re impact players for us, and part of my responsibility is making sure impact players get the ball.”

Through two postseason matchups, Allen and Singleton combined for 482 offensive yards and five scores on 60 total offensive touches (49 rushes, 11 receptions). That’s an eight-yard average every time they get the football, and they split those touches exactly even at 30-30.

“Me and Kaytron are playing at a high level right now, especially these past couple of games,” Singleton said.

During those two games, Allen gained 194 rushing yards (8.1 average). In the last three regular-season contests, he rushed for 64 yards (2.5 average). He finished below four yards per carry in six of the last eight regular-season matchups.

Singleton has averaged at least 4.8 yards per carry in six straight games, hitting at least a 6.4 average on four occasions. Prior to this span, he rushed for 90 total yards (3.2 average) in three contests that followed his Oct. 5 injury-related absence against UCLA.

If confidence waned for this junior duo during rougher portions of autumn, it was restored by postgame of a Round 1 playoff win on the first day of winter.

“Me and Kaytron, we always say that we are the best backfield in the nation. We stand on it,” Singleton said during that press conference.

Seconds later, a few feet away, quarterback Drew Allar discussed the impact of his 2022 classmates finding their collective stride in December.

“We want to be peaking at this time. That’s how we want to operate, just building momentum into each game,” Allar said. “Like Nick said, they’re the best backfield in America, and I truly believe that. It starts up front at the end of the day for us in both the run and pass game. But when you have guys like Nick and Kaytron on the team, they make a lot of guys miss. It just really helps our offense flow as a whole.”

Like Allar, Singleton and coaches have been quick to credit the offensive line for its role in recent rushing success. But a tandem that’s battled side-by-side behind a variety of blockers through three seasons is flashing again together in a way that frankly didn’t seem likely last month. Their late ascension resets overall offensive expectations.

“I feel like once we start going, they defend us different,” Singleton said. “Our offense is versatile. You have Drew that can run the ball, me and Kaytron, Tyler Warren, receivers. You can stop us, but there are obviously other players who are going to be open. That makes defenses think a little bit.”

Singleton has also especially been a dual-threat out of the backfield. He ranks third among teammates with 39 catches and second with five touchdown receptions. That was an aspect of his game that remained key this fall even when his effectiveness as a rusher diminished due to unspecified injury issues.

Singleton acknowledged, “I’m always in the treatment room” while navigating the final, all-important stretch of a lengthy season, and possibly his Penn State career. The veteran running backs have handled a lighter practice workload along the way, as Singleton noted, “coaches are taking care of us”.

While Allen and Singleton have spent much of their Penn State careers in a spotlight, dating back to Singleton’s notoriety as 2022 Big Ten Freshman of the Year. However, it’s Jeanty who is front and center on the Fiesta Bowl marquee. He hasn’t finished with fewer than 127 rushing yards through 13 games this year. 

“The last three years, going against Nick and Kaytron, they prepared me for games like this,” Penn State defensive end Abdul Carter said.

The Nittany Lions aim to end Jeanty’s magical campaign. Although much of that burden lands on PSU defenders, the continuation of a December hot streak for Penn State’s own running backs would go a long way toward turning that goal into reality.

“Those two guys are fast, they’re big, they’re both 220-pound backs, and they’re violent,” Franklin said.

Fiesta Bowl coverage links you may have missed…

Score predictions for Penn State vs Boise State

Update on Penn State’s adjusted QB depth chart

What we heard from Penn State players and coaches during Boise State game week

Penn State football practice notebook

Photo gallery from Penn State practice

Video highlights of Penn State’s Fiesta Bowl Media Day experience

Know the Foe: 8 questions on Boise State before Penn State matchup

Everything Penn State coach James Franklin and QB Drew Allar said at Fiesta Bowl Media Day