Penn State football boasts one of the best running back duos in the country. Juniors Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen have been on a tear for Penn State’s offense so far, combining for 697 yards through the first four games leading up to Saturday’s matchup against UCLA.

The run game officially took over last week against Illinois, and the tandem of backs wanted to continue to build on that success against UCLA on Saturday. On Wednesday, though, Singleton was absent from the media practice viewing session with little information available from James Franklin.

While Franklin said he didn’t expect the absence to impact Singleton’s availability against UCLA, the running back was listed as questionable when the team’s availability report came out two hours before kickoff.

Singleton was dressed and warmed up with the team pregame but didn’t register a snap during the 27-11 victory over the Bruins.

“I thought we’d have him Thursday, I thought we’d have him Friday, and I thought we’d have him today,” Franklin said. “I didn’t find out until after warmups, so it was a last-minute deal.”

Without Singleton available, Allen took the majority of the carries. The pair have played the “co-starter” roles since they first stepped on campus, and not having Singleton on the field was a massive change for his fellow running back.

“It was different not having my dog out there, and I was sad he wasn’t out there,” Allen said. “You’re only as good as the weakest link in your room though, so everybody is buying in and helping each other.”

The two backs often share advice and help each other find holes in opposing defenses. Singleton was still at the sideline, but according to Allen, the advice Singleton could give was limited by not playing.

Losing Singleton meant the offense lost an explosive element to the offense as the running back averaged 7.7 yards per carry during his first four games of the season. Allen, on the other hand, averaged 5.5 yards per rush coming into Saturday’s game.

Allen struggled to find lanes against the UCLA defense, carrying the ball 21 times for 78 yards and a touchdown that helped push the game out of reach late in the third quarter. Allen’s longest rush of the day was an 11-yard pickup.

“For me and my standards, I didn’t feel like I had a great game,” Allen said. “It could’ve been better, and I can learn from my mistakes.”

Even though Allen didn’t break off any explosive plays, he still was an integral part of the win. If the Nittany Lions needed a short gain, Allen could manage. The passing game also helped pick up the slack, with Drew Allar passing for 237 yards and a touchdown on a 71% completion rate.

Freshman Quinton Martin Jr. also saw action in Singleton’s absence as third-string running back Cam Wallace remained out with a long-term injury. Martin only managed one carry for one yard on the ground but had three catches for 18 yards, good enough for fifth out of the eight players who caught a pass on Saturday.

“Quinton played great,” Allen said. “He stepped up to the plate and did what you’re supposed to do. He’s gonna be great.”

Franklin didn’t anticipate being without his leading rusher on Saturday, but he’s happy with the way his team responded, especially on such short notice.

Injuries have been an issue up and down the roster so far this year, but none have been as big as missing Singleton.

“Not having a guy like Singleton is significant, but it was great to get [Allen] more touches and it was also a great chance to get [Martin] in there,” Franklin said. “So it was a great opportunity for those guys and I think we handled it really well.”