By Danielle Daniels

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State sophomore running backs Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton were named to the Doak Walker Award watch list on Wednesday. Senior punter Riley Thompson was tabbed to the Ray Guy Award watch list.

The Doak Walker Award is presented annually by the PwC SMU Athletic Forum to the nation’s top college running back.

The Ray Guy award honors the nation’s best collegiate punter.

Kaytron Allen · So. · RB · 5-11 · 221 · Norfolk, Va. · IMG Academy (Fla.)

• Appeared in 13 games, making three starts, as a freshman in 2022.
• Earned honorable-mention All-Big Ten honors from the media.
• Named College Football News Freshman All-American.
• Claimed Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors following the Central Michigan and Rutgers games.
• Rushed for 867 yards, the fourth-most by a PSU freshman, in 2022.
• Finished the season with 10 rushing touchdowns, the second-most in a season by a Penn State freshman behind only Nicholas Singleton’s 12 in 2022.
• Allen and Singleton (1,061) became the first freshmen teammates in Big Ten history each with 700+ rushing yards in a season.
• Allen and Singleton are the only Penn State duo to each rush for 850+ yards and one of three 800+ rushing yard duos.
• Placed Top 10 among FBS freshmen in rushing touchdowns, yards per carry (5.19) and rushing yards.
• In the win at Indiana (11/5/22), became the first Penn State freshman with three rushing touchdowns in a game since Austin Scott against Kent State in 2003.
• Allen and Singleton each scored two touchdowns against Auburn, becoming the only Penn State freshmen to both score two rushing touchdowns in a game since at least 2000.
• Posted first career 100-yard rushing game against Central Michigan with 111 yards.
• Recorded three rushing touchdowns and 158 scrimmage yards (86 rushing, 72 receiving) at Indiana.
• Toted the ball 11 times for a career-high 117 yards and a score against Rutgers.

Nicholas Singleton · So. · RB · 6-0 · 224 · Shillington, Pa. · Governor Mifflin

• Also named to the Maxwell Award and Paul Hornung Award watch lists.
• Named Big Ten Thompson-Randle El Freshman of the Year in 2022.
• Earned Freshman All-American honors from the FWAA, ESPN.com, On3 and 247Sports.
• Voted third-team All-Big Ten as a running back and All-Big Ten second team as a return specialist.
• Led Nittany Lions with 1,061 yards and 12 rushing touchdowns in 2022.
• Set Penn State freshman record with 12 rushing touchdowns and became the third PSU freshman running back to rush for over 1,000 yards.
• Became 16th Nittany Lion to rush for 1,000 yards in a season.
• Singleton and Kaytron Allen (867) became the first freshmen teammates in Big Ten history each with 700+ rushing yards in a season.
• Singleton and Allen are the only Penn State duo to each rush for 850+ yards and one of three 800+ rushing yard duos.
• Led the Big Ten in 30+ yard runs (9; 3rd nationally) and 40+ yard runs (7; 3rd) and tied for second in 50+ yard runs (4; T-4th), 60+ yard runs (2; T-9th) and 20+ yard runs (12; T-18th).
• Finished second in the Big Ten and seventh nationally averaging 6.8 yards per carry.
• Led FBS freshmen in yards per carry and was second in all-purpose yardage (1,495).
• Tallied four 100-yard rushing games in 2022, including a season-high 179 against Ohio, and five multi-rushing touchdown games.
• Scored on an 87-yard run in the third quarter in the Rose Bowl Game against Utah. It is the third-longest run in Rose Bowl Game history.

Riley Thompson · Sr. · P · 6-1 · 212 · Melbourne, Australia · Haileybury

• Transferred from Florida Atlantic.
• Majoring in labor and human resources at Penn State.
• Named to The Athletic’s and College Football News’ Freshman All-American teams in 2022.
• Was voted honorable mention All-Conference USA.
• Selected third-team All-Conference USA by Pro Football Focus.
• In 2022, totaled 61 punts for 2,770 yards with a long of 71, 15 punts of 50+ yards, 26 punts inside the 20 and three touchbacks. Averaged 45.4 yards per punt.
• Finished second in Conference USA in punt average (45.4; 12th nationally) and punts inside the 20 (26; tied-15th nationally) and third in net punting (41.8; 15th nationally).
• Pinned punts at the one-yard line on back-to-back kicks against UAB (10/29/22)…Hit seven punts for 356 yards (50.9 average) with a long of 71 yards and four punts inside the 20.
• Averaged 53.8 yards per punt, with a long of 70 yards, on four punts at FIU (11/12/22).

The PwC SMU Athletic Forum Board of Directors will name 10 semifinalists for the Doak Walker Award in November and then three finalists, voted on by the Doak Walker Award National Selection Committee, will be announced in late November.

The Ray Guy Award will select 10 semifinalists, announced on Friday, Nov. 10. The finalists for the honor will be revealed on Wednesday, Nov. 22.

The winners of both awards will be announced live on ESPN on Thursday, Dec. 7, during The Home Depot College Football Awards.

COURTESY PENN STATE COMMUNICATIONS