Former Gov. Mifflin star Nick Singleton will not play for Penn State against Clemson in the Pinstripe Bowl, his father told the Reading Eagle on Thursday.
Singleton joins defensive tackle Zane Durant and safety Zakee Wheatley as draft-eligible seniors who have decided not to play for the Nittany Lions Dec. 27 at Yankee Stadium.
He will continue to work out in State College and will travel with the team to New York for the game, according to Tim Singleton, his father. He will receive a bachelor’s degree next weekend.
Singleton finished his career as Penn State’s all-time leader in all-purpose yards (5,586), rushing touchdowns (45) and overall touchdowns (55). He ranks fourth in career rushing with 3,461 yards.
In his final game, he gained 183 all-purpose yards and scored two touchdowns in a 40-36 victory at Rutgers last month.
He’s projected to be one of the first five running backs taken in the 2026 NFL draft. He’ll begin preparing for the scouting combine in January in the Los Angeles area.
Also Thursday, cornerback Elliot Washington II reportedly has placed his name in the transfer portal after three seasons at Penn State. He had 44 tackles, two interceptions and nine pass breakups in 36 games in his career, including one start in the 2024 season.
On the coaching front, Penn State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles and running backs coach Stan Drayton have found new homes after spending one season in State College on James Franklin’s staff before he was fired in October.
Knowles has been hired at Tennessee and Drayton at South Carolina. They will have the same positions at their new schools.
Knowles arrived in State College in February after helping Ohio State win the national championship last season. He signed a three-year, $9.1 million contract that made him the highest-paid defensive coordinator in the country. He and Penn State negotiated a settlement.
The Lions struggled on defense most of the season. They rank 34th in total defense, 37th in scoring defense, 69th in pass efficiency defense and 72nd in rushing defense.
Earlier this week, Lions tight ends coach Ty Howle and quarterbacks coach Danny O’Brien left to join Franklin’s Virginia Tech staff. Howle will be the Hokies’ offensive coordinator and O’Brien will remain the quarterbacks coach.
At Penn State, newly hired coach Matt Campbell has added three assistant coaches from his Iowa State staff: offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser, offensive line coach Ryan Clanton and defensive backs coach Deon Broomfield. It was unclear whether they will have the same roles with the Lions.
Interim head coach Terry Smith will remain at Penn State on Campbell’s staff in an unspecified role after signing a lucrative four-year contract.
The futures of Penn State assistant coaches Andy Kotelnicki (offensive coordinator), Phil Trautwein (offensive line), Marques Hagans (wide receivers), Deion Barnes (defensive line), Dan Connor (linebackers), Anthony Poindexter (safeties) and special teams coordinator Justin Lustig remained uncertain as of Thursday afternoon.
