Two Penn State Football Stars Getting Healthy for the Postseason

Nicholas Singleton, Dani Dennis-Sutton will be instrumental for the Nittany Lions in the Big Ten title game vs. Oregon.

Penn State running back Nicholas Singleton runs with the ball against the Maryland Terrapins during the second quarter at Beaver Stadium. / Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

Nicholas Singleton and Dani Dennis-Sutton, two alphas of Penn State's 2022 recruiting class and 2024 roster, have missed playing time while working through physical issues this season. But Nittany Lions coach James Franklin said both are getting healthier in time for the postseason, which begins Saturday in Indianapolis.

No. 4 Penn State will meet No. 1 Oregon in the Big Ten Championship Game at Lucas Oil Stadium, where Singleton and Dennis-Sutton will be pivotal players for the Nittany Lions. Singleton, Penn State's most explosive running back, on Saturday played his best game (a first-snap fumble aside) of the Big Ten season, totaling 170 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns in the Nittany Lions' 44-7 win over Maryland. Dennis-Sutton, meanwhile, had a sack and three quarterback hurries at defensive end for a pass rush that withered the Terps all night, helping to generate six sacks.

On Sunday, as Penn State began preparing to face the Ducks for the first time since the 1995 Rose Bowl, Franklin said that Singleton and Dennis-Sutton's return to full strength arrives at the right time.

"It's pretty obvious that Nick is back as close to 100 percent as he's been in a long time, and you see the burst and the acceleration on tape," Franklin said on a conference call with reporters. "... Obviously a healthy Nick Singleton is a positive for our team and for our offense."

RELATED: Penn State feels "confident" heading into the Big Ten title game vs. Oregon

Singleton missed the UCLA game in early October with a lower-body injury, which Franklin said has nagged him for weeks. Singleton, who began the year with back-to-back 100-yard rushing games against West Virginia and Bowling Green, averaged 40 yards in his six games before Saturday. He lacked his trademark burst, save for a penalty-negated, 97-yard kickoff return against Washington, and looked a shade slower.

Singleton also played shortened games against Washington and Purdue before taking control of the backfield snaps the past two weeks. Singleton played 43 snaps at Minnesota and 40 against Maryland, tops among running backs, and rushed for a combined 150 yards in the two games. He hit the edges with assertiveness and cornered as well as he has all season.

"The reality is, he's healthy again," Franklin said before the Maryland game. "You guys know what a healthy Nick Singleton looks like. He wasn't that. But I also think that is a credit to Nick, and I also think that's part of the maturation process of a football player. ... Nick is looking closer to full speed and 100 percent than he's been in a couple weeks, and we need that. He's an explosive player. I think
when the defensive coordinators see that, when the defensive players see that, it changes how they defend him and how they defend us. If you make one mistake, it could go for 80."

Likewise, Dennis-Sutton has been rounding into form since he was injured at Wisconsin. The defensive end played just five snaps, primarily in third-down situations, the following week against Ohio State and has been increasing his production and playing time since. He played a season-high 50 snaps at Minnesota and teamed with Abdul Carter on a formidable line presence against the Terps.

"Getting Dani back healthy, I think that's been important and I think this was his first game back where he was really healthy," Franklin said Sunday.

Added Carter after the game, "He’s getting healthier and healthier. He’s getting more and more confident. His impact for us is going to be huge throughout the postseason."

Penn State "hopeful" receiver Trey Wallace will return

Trey Wallace, who leads the Nittany Lions' receivers in catches, did not play against Maryland after being listed as questionable on the Big Ten availability report. Franklin said that Wallace "tweaked something" last week and is hopeful the receiver will be able to play against Oregon.

Wallace leads Penn State's receivers with 35 catches for 579 yards and three touchdowns and is the only receiver to play more than 50 snaps in four different games. In Wallace's absence, Omari Evans caught four passes, on six targets, for 49 yards and played a season-high 47 snaps.

The Big Ten Championship kicks off at 8 p.m. ET on Saturday from Lucas Oil Stadium. CBS will televise.

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Penn State on SI is the place for Penn State news, opinion and perspective on the SI.com network. Publisher Mark Wogenrich has covered Penn State for more than 20 years, tracking three coaching staffs, three Big Ten titles and a catalog of great stories. Follow him on X (or Twitter) @MarkWogenrich.