The 2024 Penn State football season started with a new-look explosive offense under offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki, and running back Nick Singleton was one of the biggest beneficiaries of the offense’s success.

Singleton started the season with back-to-back 100-plus yard rushing games. He gained 114 yards against West Virginia, then 119 yards against Bowling Green. In both games, he had 13 carries, scored a touchdown, and had a run go for at least 40 yards.

In the next two games against Kent State and Illinois, the junior back had 81 and 94 yards, respectively, with a touchdown in each game. The hot start was reminiscent of Singleton’s freshman year where he put up over 120 yards against Ohio and Auburn and finished the regular season just shy of 1,000 yards.

However, an injury sidelined Singleton against UCLA, and since then, his 2024 season has looked more like his 2023 season.

“You play with the things that you can play with and manage. The doctors and the trainers will step in when you can’t,” James Franklin said. “Nick went out there and played the best he could under the circumstances, but he was not 100%.”

Singleton finished his sophomore regular season with 702 yards. He went from averaging 6.3 yards per carry as a freshman to 4.3 yards per carry as a sophomore and had just one 100-yard rushing game in his second year.

After his injury this season, Singleton had just 175 yards and one touchdown on the ground over the next five games. But the lone touchdown against Purdue was the first time since his injury that Singleton looked like his normal self.

“It definitely felt good,” Singleton said after the game.

While Singleton’s rushing numbers dropped off, he made up for it in the receiving game. During the five-game stretch of 175 rushing yards and one touchdown, Singleton had 164 receiving yards and two touchdowns. The 164 yards were the most receiving yards in any five-game stretch of his career.

The receiving aspect has been an underrated feature of Singleton’s game. His 292 yards and four touchdowns are the most of his career, and they’re good enough to make him the fourth-leading receiver on the offense.

“I feel like I did good with it. Getting catches, getting first downs so my team is put in the best position to go score and win the game,” Singleton said after putting up 100 total yards and a touchdown against Minnesota.

Even with his rushing slump, Singleton has recorded 1,025 total yards and 11 total touchdowns on 154 touches, averaging 6.7 yards per touch for another career high.

Now, Singleton says he’s 100% and is back racking up impressive rushing stats. In the last two games against Minnesota and Maryland, Singleton has 150 rushing yards and three touchdowns. His 63 and 89 yards, respectively, were the first time he broke 50 yards since the Illinois game in September.

“I just feel like everything’s good,” Singleton said. “Got to give a shoutout to the training room. I’ve been there all the time. They’ve been really helpful to me. I’m getting my body right so I feel good.”

With the Big Ten Championship less than a week away, Singleton will need to be an integral part of the Nittany Lions’ offense. The Ducks have the 22nd-ranked run defense in the nation and have been exposed at times this season.

Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty had 192 yards and three touchdowns, Oregon State’s Anthony Hankerson had 57 yards and two touchdowns, Purdue’s Reggie Love III had 93 yards, and Wisconsin’s Tawee Walker had 97 yards on 20 carries.

“I always try to see myself as a complete back,” Singleton said. “Everybody can see that I run, but just showing other skills. I can block. I’m trying to catch out the backfield. That’s what I was doing throughout the whole summer.”

Oregon’s defense has also noticed Singleton’s resurgence. Ducks linebacker Jeffrey Bassa praised Singleton’s skill set and said he is looking forward to playing against him.

“Nick Singleton is one of the best backs in the country,” Bassa said. “Very excited for this matchup, especially as a linebacker going up against a top running back.”

As for Singleton, he’s looking forward to playing for a chance to win the conference title. He said remembers the 2016 Big Ten Championship win against Wisconsin and said he has always wanted to play in the game.

“It means a lot to me,” Singleton said. “Being from [Pennsylvania], seeing that game in 2016 and winning the [Big Ten] Championship, I always imagined being in that moment. I’m trying to win a Big Ten Championship.”