Penn State is in a terrific position at the running back position for the 2025 season with arguably the best running back duo set to return this fall. Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen each chose to return to Penn State for another season when each could have had the option to go to the NFL or explore options in the transfer portal to no longer share the backfield with the other. Instead, Singleton and Allen are each coming back with a chance to be PEnn State’s all-time leading rusher. Now, each is officially on the radar for the Doak Walker Award.
The Doak Walker Award watch list was released for the 2025 season, and Singleton and Allen each appear on it. Both players have already been named to the watch list for the Maxwell Award, and Singleton was named to the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award watch list. Singleton was also named a preseason All-American by the Walter Camp Football Foundation.
Advertisement
Singleton was an honorable mention All-Big Ten player on offense and special teams as a return specialist. Singleton will start the season as the nation’s leading rusher returning this season with 2,912 career rushing yards and 32 career rushing touchdowns.
Allen earned second-team All-Big Ten honors last season despite playing in the same backfield and splitting playing time with Singleton. Allen has rushed for 2,877 yards in his career with 24 rushing touchdowns and an average of 5.1 yards per rushing attempt. Only Singleton has more career rushing yards among players returning in 2025 across the nation. Head coach James Franklin believes these two could end their careers taking over the top two spots in the Penn State rushing record book when all is said and done
Penn State has one Doak Walker Award winner in school history. Larry Johnson won the award in 2002.
Last year’s winner of the Doak Walker Award was Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty, whom Penn State did a good job of controlling in the Fiesta Bowl in the College Football Playoff last season. The last winner of the award from the Big Ten was Kenneth Walker III of Michigan State in 2021. Other notable winners of the Doak Walker Award include Najee Harris (Alabama, 2020), Jonathan Taylor (two-time winner from Wisconsin in 2018 and 2019), Derrick Henry (Alabama, 2015), LaDainian Tomlinson (TCU, 2000), and Ricky Williams (Texas, 1997 and 1998).
Advertisement
Follow Kevin McGuire on Threads, Bluesky, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.
Follow Nittany Lions Wire on X, Facebook, and Threads.
This article originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire: Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen on Doak Walker Award watch list
