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Penn State Football star running back Nick Singleton helped carry the Nittany Lions to their first ranked-win of the 2024 season Saturday, posting 94 rushing yards and a touchdown and adding 25 receiving yards through the air. However, four days removed from the matchup, Singleton’s availability is now up in the air, as Singleton was not seen at practice Wednesday night.
Following Penn State’s media viewing window, Penn State head coach James Franklin answered a question about Singleton’s status, casting further doubt about the star junior’s availability going forward.
Franklin noted that he does not have an update “at this stage” regarding Singleton’s availability.
James Franklin says we’re wasting a question by asking about RB Nick Singleton who was not spotted at the media viewing window tonight. Says there’s nothing to share at this point.
FWIW Singleton met with reporters yesterday on zoom.
— Audrey Snyder (@audsnyder4) October 2, 2024
Singleton met with the media via zoom Tuesday but was not seen during the viewing window Wednesday night. On the 2024 season, Singleton has rushed for 408 yards and three touchdowns and added 74 yards and two touchdowns through the air.
On Tuesday, Singleton spoke highly of Penn State offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki‘s offense, noting “Everybody is buying into it since the spring. Everybody is having fun. You can tell everybody’s mood has been really different from last year, too. We’re being more explosive, obviously winning games. We just gotta keep going with it.”
Nick Singleton on Andy Kotelnicki offense:
“Everybody is buying into it since the spring. Everybody is having fun. You can tell everybody’s mood has been really different from last year, too. We’re being more explosive, obviously winning games. We just gotta keep going with it.” https://t.co/9oXz9O1gMQ
— Tyler Donohue (@TDsTake) October 1, 2024
Nick Singleton in Midst of Dominant Season for Penn State
Singleton, and fellow junior running back Kayton Allen, became only the second pair of teammates in Penn State history to rush for over 2,000 career yards Saturday. Singleton ranks 15th all-time at Penn State with 2,221 rushing yards over the past two and a third seasons at Penn State.
Singleton was a five-star recruit and the number one running back in the 2022 class by 247Sports and is draft eligible after this season.
If Singleton is not able to go Saturday against UCLA, Penn State will turn to true freshman Quinton Martin (after an injury to Cam Wallace against Kent State thrust Martin into the RB3 role). Singleton spoke highly of Martin Tuesday, noting “He’s been locked in. He’s willing to learn everything, man. [Always asking questions in the meeting rooms with (RB) Coach (JaJuan) Seider. Always doing extra time off the field too in the film room. He’s been really good.”
With Penn State an over four touchdown favorite this weekend, the Nittany Lions may not need Singleton to get past UCLA, however, the return of one of Penn State’s most dynamic playmakers will be vital for Penn State to reach their ultimate goal of a College Football Playoff berth this season.
MORE: Penn State Gets Key Players Back to Practice
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- Penn State QB Drew Allar gets candid about team's struggles against top opponents
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Ohio State Legend Urban Meyer Drops Major Prediction for Texas Game
Former Ohio State Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer was one of the best coaches in the country during his heyday, and now, he is one of the most respected analysts around. When Meyer talks, people listen, so it's always important to pay attention whenever he drops a big prediction. Like with the upcoming Ohio State-Texas season opener. This will obviously be a clash of the titans in a rematch of last year's Cotton Bowl, where the Buckeyes ultimately defeated the Longhorns on their way to the National Championship Game. Things are a bit different this time around, though, as both teams lost a bunch of players to the NFL Draft this offseason, and many actually feel that Texas is the more complete squad heading into 2025. Don't tell that to Meyer, though, who actually thinks Ohio State may hold the edge. “Here’s why I think Ohio State’s got the advantage,” Meyer said on the Triple Option Podcast. “They have Jeremiah Smith, the best player in college football, and I don’t think it’s really that close. You can roll up on him. You can double him and you can slow him down, you can’t stop him but they have other weapons. Carnell Tate’s going to come into his own. That’s a big, freakish athlete as well. There’s Julian Sayin, they say he’s probably going to be the quarterback. But I think the ability to have someone other than, you know, a one-show team and that’s Jeremiah Smith. They've got more than that." Smith dominated last year, hauling in 76 receptions for 1,315 yards and 15 touchdowns during his freshman season. But the Buckeyes didn't win just because of Smith. In fact, their defense was probably an even bigger reason for their championship run in 2024. Ohio State certainly isn't as talented as last season, but the Buckeyes remain a well-rounded ballclub that could absolutely make another College Football Playoff run this year. It all starts against Texas on Aug. 30.
Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani ties franchise record with HR vs. Twins
MLB's midseason break was kind to Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter and starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani. On Wednesday, the three-time MVP tied a Dodgers franchise record with a home run in his fifth consecutive game, taking Minnesota Twins right-handed starting pitcher Chris Paddack 441 feet to centerfield on an 0-2 79 mph curveball in the bottom of the first inning. Ohtani entered the All-Star break with 32 home runs but had just two in his 12 previous games before beginning his current streak. He's appeared in 101 of L.A.'s 103 games, putting him on pace for 159 games this season. If Ohtani continues at his home run trajectory, he'll set a personal record for single-season home runs, breaking the record he established last season, his first with the Dodgers. Per ESPN Bet, Ohtani (-1800) is an overwhelming favorite to be named NL MVP for the second consecutive season. With every home run hit, his odds of receiving a fourth overall MVP award likely increase. Also helping Ohtani's case is his return to the mound after not pitching a season ago while rehabbing from 2023 surgery. The Dodgers have slowly eased him back, with Ohtani throwing 12 innings in six starts, allowing nine hits and two earned runs with 13 strikeouts. Per Baseball Savant, he ranks in the top six percent in average fastball velocity (97.8 mph), a promising sign as he continues his progression. While the Dodgers keep him on a pitch count, Ohtani didn't need much warming up at the plate following the in-season break to find his swing. Some might argue he's already in postseason form.
Tua Tagovailoa addresses relationship with Tyreek Hill after controversial comments
Shortly after Miami Dolphins players reported for training camp on Tuesday, Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill suggested he wants to be "better as a leader" after he controversially subbed himself out of Miami's regular-season finale this past January and then told reporters he was "out." While speaking with reporters on Wednesday, Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa addressed the Hill-sized elephant in the room. "I think there’s a lot more vulnerability with Tyreek," Tagovailoa explained, as shared by Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk. "He’s conversating a lot more with the guys, not just about football, but about things off the field, being vulnerable about some of the things people know about his personal life and things of that nature. I think that’s the first step toward him building true relationships and a real connection with a lot of the guys in there." Following Hill's "out" comment, Dolphins general manager Chris Grier revealed that the 31-year-old speedster never requested a trade. While publicly apologizing to his teammates during a Super Bowl week interview, Hill directly said that Tagovailoa is his "guy." Hill also insisted at the time that he loves Tagovailoa. "Everybody makes mistakes," Tagovailoa added about Hill. "It’s just, some people, they’re in the spotlight, and their deals get pushed out more than some others. So you’ve just got to cut him some grace. That’s our teammate. We love him, but as a person, I think if you get to know him, you’ll love him too." Hill and Tagovailoa likely will need to be on the same page if they want to prevent the Dolphins from going through a franchise reset next offseason. At least head coach Mike McDaniel is reportedly on the hot seat this summer, while Tagovailoa's status beyond the upcoming campaign is up in the air after he suffered a third reported concussion since the fall of 2022 last season. "You guys aren’t the only people that heard that," Tagovailoa said about Hill's "out" statement. "...So when you say something like that, you don’t just come back from that with, 'Hey, my bad.' You’ve got to work that relationship up. You’ve got to build everything up again. It’s still a work in progress, not just for me but for everybody. But like I said, he’s working on himself, he’s working on the things he says he wants to get better with and do better on. So that’s the first step to me, so I commend him for doing that." As of Wednesday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook had the 2024 Dolphins at -275 betting odds to miss the playoffs. Those who believe the relationship between Tagovailoa and Hill is on shaky ground following Wednesday's developments may want to take a flier on such a wager before the odds change later this year.
Cowboys' George Pickens takes shot at Steelers at start of training camp
Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin and team owner/president Art Rooney II previously said they wanted to see mercurial wide receiver George Pickens "grow up." Now with the Dallas Cowboys, Pickens seemed to take a shot at his former team while speaking with reporters at training camp on Tuesday. "Yeah, I'm definitely excited to run better plays, for sure," Pickens said, NFL.com's Kevin Patra shared. A 2022 second-round draft pick, Pickens developed a reputation for looking displeased over a lack of targets and for emotional outbursts during games over his first three seasons in the league. Pittsburgh traded the 24-year-old to Dallas in May after the Steelers reportedly grew "fed up with" the talented target who was allegedly guilty of a "litany of violations." Pickens was known for arriving late to practices while with the Steelers. He was also reportedly late for Pittsburgh's Christmas Day game against the Kansas City Chiefs. Dallas' Dak Prescott should be the best quarterback Pickens has had as a pro. Additionally, Pickens has a needed mentor in No. 1 Dallas wide receiver CeeDee Lamb. "Oh yeah, for sure," Pickens responded when asked on Tuesday if he believes he and Lamb can be the NFL's top one-two punch at the position. "Just different type of styles of play. A lot of people over the years got different styles of play, but CeeDee's a certain type of guy, then I'm a certain type of guy. So, when you mesh that together, it's like 'Mario Bros.' We definitely can do something special." Pickens is in the final year of his rookie contract, and there's no indication he will receive an extension from the Cowboys before he shows what he'll be as a player and a person this season. Thus, he has millions of reasons to want to be on his best behavior and produce the best campaign of his career while sharing an offense with Prescott and Lamb. It remains to be seen if first-year head coach Brian Schottenheimer will succeed where Tomlin failed in getting the most out of Pickens, if even for one season.
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