Two juniors who have been slowed by injuries this season are returning to form as No. 3 Penn State prepares to face No. 1 Oregon in the Big Ten championship game in Indianapolis.
Running back Nick Singleton accounted for 170 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns in the Nittany Lions’ 44-7 shellacking of Maryland Saturday at Beaver Stadium.
Defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton had three solo tackles, including a sack, and three quarterback hurries against the Terrapins.
Singleton, the former Gov. Mifflin standout, carried 13 times for 87 yards (6.7 average) and two touchdowns, caught three passes for 17 yards and had a 66-yard kickoff return.
He did not play against UCLA in October after someone stepped on his foot the week before during a 21-7 victory over Illinois. He also saw limited action earlier this month against Washington because of a separate, undisclosed injury.
“It’s pretty obvious that Nick is back to as close to 100% as he’s been for a long time,” Penn State coach James Franklin said Sunday during a conference call promoting the Big Ten title game. “You see the burst and the acceleration.
“Obviously a healthy Nick Singleton is a positive for our team and for our offense.”
Singleton is fourth in the conference and 22nd in the country in all-purpose yards with 119.1 per game. He’s the leading rusher for the Lions with 121 carries for 733 yards (6.1 average) and seven touchdowns. He’s the third-leading receiver with 33 receptions for 292 yards and four TDs.
Against Maryland, he scored on runs of 2 and 18 yards and would have had a 19-yard TD burst if officials hadn’t incorrectly ruled him down at the 1-yard line in the second quarter.
Singleton fumbled for the first time this season on Penn State’s first play, which Maryland converted into a touchdown. On the ensuing kickoff, he returned it 66 yards to set up a field goal.
“I know I made a mistake,” he said. “I was looking forward to making it up, which I did.”
Dennis-Sutton suffered what appeared to be a groin injury in the first half at Wisconsin last month. He tested it for one play in the third quarter and took himself out. He also played well two weeks ago at Minnesota.
His presence helped take pressure off fellow defensive end Abdul Carter, who had two sacks among his six tackles and a quarterback hurry.
“He’s getting healthier and healthier,” Carter said about Dennis-Sutton. “He’s getting more and more confident. His impact for us is going to be huge for us throughout the postseason.”
For the season, Dennis-Sutton has seven tackles for loss, four sacks, three pass breakups and a team-leading eight quarterback hurries.
“Getting Dani back healthy has been important,” Franklin said. “This was his first game back when he was really healthy.”
Also on the injury front, wide receiver Harrison Wallace III did not play against Maryland after being listed as questionable on the Big Ten pregame availability report.
Wallace is Penn State’s second-leading receiver with 35 receptions for 579 yards and three touchdowns.
“Tre tweaked something during the week,” Franklin said, “and was not able to go. But we are hopeful that he’ll be able to go this week. It’s too early in the week to really tell.”
