Penn State's Biggest Question Has All to Do With Ex-Ohio State Player

Among the questions that Penn State is going to have to answer during the offseason and in the early stages of the 2026-27 campaign, the running back position is just as important as anything else. 

Penn State, at least over the past few years, has arguably had the best running back room in college football. If there's one avenue that the Nittany Lions offense hasn't been lacking, it's been at the running back position. 

It's been very impressive to watch some of these guys go to work, though the new faces in this current running back room are definitely not as established as the players we've seen in the past. 

Whether that be Saquon Barkley, Kaytron Allen, Nick Singleton, or anyone before and during that, these guys are going to have to show us that they're even close to being as good as those three players, three of the best running backs, if not the three best, in Penn State history.

According to On3, that's the biggest question Penn State is going to have to answer this year, as there's still a question about who is going to step up at the running back position for the Nittany Lions.

“Who steps up at running back for the Nittany Lions?

“Confidence is high in the experience and talent the running back and offensive line rooms bring to the table, sources told On3 this spring. Penn State added Ohio State’s James Peoples and Iowa State’s Carson Hansen out of the portal, which should make a formidable running back duo in the Big Ten. Plus, Quinton Martin has gained 15 pounds this offseason. Peoples was highly thought of during his two seasons at Ohio State. If he can build off last year’s 344 yards, he could turn into the running back Penn State is looking to rely on,” Nate Bauer of On3 wrote.

Out of all the running backs currently on the roster, I'm personally looking at James Peoples to be the guy who wins the job. 

While the former Ohio State product didn't get a lot of love during his time with the Buckeyes, or really get much of an opportunity to show if he can be the guy the Buckeyes were hoping for, we all know that's going to be a lot different at Penn State. 

Peoples was brought in to potentially be the RB1, and all early signs point to him being a very good player in Happy Valley. I'm excited to watch him get to work and think he has a real opportunity to be that guy for Penn State.