How Stan Drayton Found Renewed Energy as Penn State's Running Backs Coach

When Penn State’s running backs coach position unexpectedly became vacant in early February, coach James Franklin said that he may have the “most attractive” opening in the country.” That meant that he would be selective in replacing Ja’Juan Seider, who spent seven years in the role recruiting and coaching some star Nittany Lions running backs, including 2025 returners Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen.

"I'm not hiring anybody who I don't think [Singleton and Allen] will feel great about," Franklin said recently. “I also don't include them in the process. … I don't want them to go through the emotional rollercoaster.”

Yet it didn’t take Franklin long to land a running backs coach he believes can adapt quickly to a national championship contender. Stan Drayton, the former Temple head coach, now steps into the critical role of recruiting future Penn State running backs, developing some of the team’s current young talent and, perhaps most importantly for Penn State football’s 2025 title chances, aligning his philosophies with an elite veteran rushing duo.

‘A perfect marriage’

Singleton and Allen could have been NFL Draft picks this year. Big Ten analyst Matt Millen said both are ready now. Instead, both chose to return to Penn State and further build their draft stock for 2026. Singleton and Allen likely expected a fourth year under Seider. Instead, the rising seniors will continue their development with a college football veteran leading them. 

“They came back to Penn State for a reason, to elevate their status for the next level,” Drayton said this week in State College. “This is something that I've done for over 32 years [of] experience as a coach, where I've taken guys, no matter where they are in their development, and I’ve taken them to where they want to go.” 

That experience was significant in Penn State hiring Drayton. Franklin praised how Drayton would bring “decades of experience” to the role. Over his various stops, Drayton has worked with running backs Ezekiel Elliott and Carlos Hyde at Ohio State, Bijan Robinson at Texas, Jordan Howard with the Chicago Bears and Brian Westbrook at Villanova. Drayton believes Singleton and Allen will immediately join those stars as the best running backs with whom he has worked.

“Those two guys. they're right up along the same talent level as anybody I've coached to this point,” Drayton said. “So it's just a matter of, I know they love the game, and that's kind of my deal. If you love the game, I got you. If you're serious about loving the game, then we're gonna be a perfect marriage.” 

After each back topped 1,000 rushing yards and 10 total touchdowns in 2024, Drayton will be challenged to find more room for Singleton and Allen to continue growing. One of his main priorities in 2025 simply will be keeping both healthy with a split workload, which has been an effective method in past seasons. Drayton said there’s “no question” about the health and team benefits of splitting snaps between Singleton and Allen. He also was adamant about making his two lead backs the best possible version of themselves.

“We're going to address those weaknesses early and often,” Drayton said. “I'm very serious about the development. And you know, when they tell me their individual goals, those goals become my goals, and we're going to be relentless in pursuing those goals together.”

The logistics of Drayton’s hiring

Seider’s surprising move to Notre Dame was first reported on Feb. 9 and confirmed by Franklin during his Feb. 11 press conference. However, it was between those two days when Franklin first connected with Drayton about the job. By Valentine’s Day, the hiring was official.

“Coach Franklin was a guy who I've known for years, and he called me right after [being fired by Temple] and just wished me well,” Drayton said. “I think we interviewed on February 10th, and it became really real. … I got even more excited about the opportunity.”

Temple let Drayton go in November during his third season as head coach. Drayton took some time away from football but quickly found himself with the “itch” to get back into coaching. And now, with a head coaching background, Drayton will become a leading voice in Penn State’s offense and key mentor for a deep Nittany Lions backfield.

“I'm so excited to have my own room and actually be able to hold a shield and set up a bag drill and actually run a meeting room setting with those guys in an intimate setting. This is something that I really missed as a head football coach,” Drayton said. “I love helping young people reach their full potential and help them achieve the dreams that they have for themselves. And I just think that's something that is my calling. So I just had to get back into it.”