All substance: Nick Singleton impressing Penn State on, off field

James Franklin joked Nick Singleton “hasn’t said 17 words” since he joined the program in January as one of the most highly touted running back recruits in Penn State history.

He sure has let his play say plenty, though.

Even as the Nittany Lions’ star true freshman’s national profile skyrocketed after back-to-back impressive showings in wins over Ohio and Auburn, Franklin said it’s Singleton’s approach to the game — and not necessarily his eye-popping 11.1 yards per carry average this season — that has impressed him most.

“The players kind of give him a hard time, because after he scores a touchdown or something they say he has no swag. No swag, all substance,” Franklin said Tuesday during his weekly press conference. “They love to give him a hard time, but it doesn’t faze him.

“He’s very ‘Steady Eddie,’ level headed, doesn’t get too high or get too low.”

Franklin said he remains unconcerned about what increased national attention might mean for his first-year standout, because he was raised to handle it, by his parents and coaches at Governor Mifflin High School, where he earned Gatorade’s National Player of the Year honors after rushing for more than 2,000 yards last fall.

Players today, he added, are more adept at dealing with pressure, given their access to the media, social media and more opportunities to play in highly publicized all-star games. Also, Penn State has some policies — true freshmen at Penn State aren’t permitted to speak to the media, outside of the athletic department’s in-house press team — Franklin believes helps ease some of that extra burden.

At his current rate, the attention won’t subside for Singleton, not after gaining 303 yards and scoring four touchdowns on 20 carries in his last two games.

“Right now, Nick is handling things pretty well,” Franklin said.

In more ways than one.

QB undercover

Penn State had a unique player putting his quarterbacking skills on display at the program’s run-on tryouts in late August.

“Chad Powers” displayed an accurate arm and sound leadership skills, even if he combined it with a sluggish 40-yard dash time.

Of course, Powers also was a 41-year-old, two-time Super Bowl champion wearing a disguise who seemed to fool few around him once he showed off the usual Manning-family mechanics.

Former New York Giants star quarterback Eli Manning threw during the tryouts, hoping to convince young players he was a 26-year-old ex-homeschool student who never played quarterback. Once Franklin blew his cover, Manning congratulated the players for their efforts and offered some words of encouragement.

Franklin said the idea for the piece, which was filmed by ESPN, was strictly Manning’s, adding the Manning family has built a rapport with Penn State through its participation sending quarterbacks to learn at the Manning Passing Academy.

“It was something I thought was kind of unique and different, but that also wasn’t going to cause us any distractions or issues,” Franklin said. “When you’re able to have somebody like that on campus, whether it’s a coach or former player or somebody that can get up in front of the team and deliver a message — obviously he’s been able to win at the very, very highest level — that was a good opportunity there as well.”

Honoring the champs

During halftime of Saturday’s return to Beaver Stadium against Central Michigan at noon, Penn State will honor its first national championship team 40 years after it rose to the top of college football.

Members of the 1982 Nittany Lions will be on hand, and Franklin said it will be a terrific experience for players on the current 14th-ranked Penn State team.

“That will be really cool,” he said. “It’s so awesome that we’ll have an opportunity to do that with our lettermen.”