Penn State football’s Kaytron Allen and Nick Singleton combined for 82 rush yards against USC.

That’s the lowest mark the backfield duo has combined for this season, and it’s the lowest mark since the Ohio State game last October when Allen and Singleton combined for 74 yards on the ground. The only difference this year is the Nittany Lions still won the game.

“I think for us, we’ve got to do whatever we’ve got to do to win, and that will be different each week, and that will look different each week,” James Franklin said Monday. “What we’re doing offensively and what the game plan is also impacted by how the defense decides to game plan and how the defense decides to play us.”

The game plan against USC was to just win the game. After being down 20-6 at halftime, the offense needed an explosive half through the air, so it leaned on quarterback Drew Allar and tight end Tyler Warren.

The running backs were still featured as Allen scored from the goal line in the third quarter and Singleton caught Allar’s game-tying touchdown pass at the end of the game. But the volume and overall success weren’t present like in previous weeks.

This week, Wisconsin presents a top-15 defense in total yards allowed, but the Badgers’ run defense only ranks 62nd. The Lawn Boys may have struggled against the Trojans, but Franklin and offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki won’t be deterred from running the ball against the Badgers.

“Would we like more production in the running game? Yeah. Would we like more explosive plays in the running game? Yes. Has that been a discussion over the last week during the bye week? Yes,” Franklin said. “If we go out there to play Wisconsin and they’ve got nine guys in the box, then we’re going to still run the ball because we’re committed to doing that, but the game may go differently in terms of our production and throwing the ball and our production in the run game.”

Singleton and Allen have been a two-headed monster almost immediately after they stepped on campus as true freshmen. This year, the Nittany Lions have two more talented true freshmen in the backfield, but they haven’t been featured like the starting tandem was two years ago.

Quinton Martin Jr. and Corey Smith were both four-star backs in Penn State’s 2024 recruitment class. Martin quickly made a name for himself by scoring two touchdowns in the Blue-White Game last spring, but Smith has yet to play in a game this season.

Martin and Smith sat behind redshirt freshman Cam Wallace for the first part of the season until Wallace went down with a long-term injury. However, neither of the freshmen has seen an increase in volume, yet.

Franklin said Martin has the yellow light, which means he plays when he’s needed. With Allen and Singleton each over 400 yards rushing and three touchdowns, Martin hasn’t been needed.

“The challenge that I respond with is every rep we give [Martin] is a rep we’re taking away from Nick and Kaytron,” Franklin said. “That’s also something we’re trying to manage as well as a coaching staff, and Ja’Juan [Seider] is specifically.”

Although Smith has yet to appear in a game, Martin has appeared in three and is two games away from burning his redshirt.

“I would prefer to manage it as much as we possibly can so that we still have that flexibility and that choice moving forward,” Franklin said of Martin’s redshirt. “At this stage, we’re still trying to preserve it and have flexibility come the end of the year.

“I think [Martin], as well as the coaching staff, is ready to play him and feel like if we need him to win games, we will [play him],” Franklin added.

It looks as though Franklin will try to retain Martin’s redshirt. Franklin said it doesn’t “make a whole lot of sense at this stage” for Martin to burn his redshirt if both Allen and Singleton are healthy. However, this could open the door for Smith to see the field.

“I actually think Corey is coming on as well,” Franklin said, “I could see us maybe even possibly having Corey as the third back here at some point as well to preserve Quinton.”