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Penn State's Search for a Running Back May Have Ended on Saturday
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- Penn State's Search for a Running Back May Have Ended on Saturday
(IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
It's been a full year-long search for a running back in Penn State , and that may have come to a close on Saturday night.
The Nittany Lions finally got a rushing attack that was valuable, and it came on the legs of redshirt junior Cam Wallace.
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Wallace came into Saturday Night's game with just 22 carries for 123 yards and two touchdowns. He would basically duplicate his year's worth of production in four quarters against Purdue. He finished Saturday night's game with 22 carries for 135 yards and a score. His 6.1 yards per carry was exactly what the Nittany Lions needed.
Penn State has been desperately searching for any semblance of a rushing attack. They were filtering through their running backs, trying to mix and match to find an answer.
After week one, Wallace never really got a chance. Against Marshall all the way back at the beginning of September, he had 42 yards on 11 carries and a score. He was certainly positive in that game, but it was followed up by just 11 carries over the next three games.
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When he got his chance again on Saturday, he took full advantage of it and propelled the Nittany Lions to victory.
Wallace's story is one of the all-time good ones in all of college football. Wallace experienced one of the worst injuries that you could possibly imagine all the way back in 2024. On just one play, he broke both of his legs at the exact same time.
It was one of the most bizarre injuries that you will ever see, and it was just a massively horrible situation for Wallace.
Wallace had several amazing quotes after his great game on Saturday that make it nearly impossible for you to not root for him. He talked about his will in never wavering because he loves the sport so much.
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From Matt Campbell's perspective, Wallace has been a bright spot in this Penn State program. He is the ultimate culture creator, and he comes to work each and every day ready to work, no matter his circumstances.
It is an amazing story, one that the Nittany Lions hope there is so much more to.
From this season's perspective, Penn State has been desperate for a run game. There has been way too much responsibility on the arm of Rocco Becht, and he has proven that he can't be that type of quarterback.
Penn State's winning formula is getting a lot of work on the ground and then being able to throw off of it. That doesn't work when you can't run the football but when you can, the Nittany Lions can absolutely win that way.
