Penn State football | Newcomers Hansen, Peoples pushing incumbents Martin, Wallace for playing time in backfield
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STATE COLLEGE, Pa. – The seeds of Penn State’s running backs room for 2026 were planted Dec. 27 – when Quinton Martin Jr. stepped into the spotlight in a 22-10 Nittany Lions win over Clemson in the Pinstripe Bowl.
Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen – both among Penn State’s all-time rushing leaders – sat out that contest ahead of the NFL draft.
Martin made the most of his opportunity in Yankee Stadium, running for 101 yards on 20 carries.
But the race for the top spot on the depth chart was wide open as camp got rolling this past week, with Martin battling fellow Penn State veteran Cameron Wallace and transfers James Peoples and Carson Hansen for carries.
“We’ve created a fantastic brotherhood over the past six, seven months we’ve been together,” Martin said at the team’s recent media day gathering at Holuba Hall on campus.
“We’re with each other every chance we get, in the meeting room, just bonding. We’re very similar. We’re brothers. We love many of the same things, but also our differences are what brings us closer together, learning new things from each other and getting better as a group.”
Who moved on
Singleton totaled 549 yards and 13 touchdowns in his final Penn State season, and finished with 3,461 career rushing yards (fourth all time) and 45 TDs on the ground (a program record).
He also caught passes for 987 yards for the Nittany Lions and was picked in the fifth round of the NFL draft by the Tennessee Titans.
Allen’s senior campaign included 1,303 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns, before the Washington Commanders chose him in the sixth round of the NFL draft. Allen’s big senior campaign made him Penn State’s all-time rushing leader – at 4,180 yards – to go with 39 career touchdowns.
Aliquippa grad Tikey Hayes, who rushed for 18 yards in the Pinstripe Bowl, is now at Nebraska.
Who stayedMartin (6-1, 212 pounds) is a redshirt sophomore from Belle Vernon. Before the Pinstripe Bowl, Martin’s biggest moment in 2025 was an 18-yard kickoff return against Ohio State.
He appeared in eight games in 2025 and six in 2024, after leading Belle Vernon to the PIAA Class 3A state championship in high school.
Cam Wallace (5-9, 206), a redshirt junior from Mount Vernon, Georgia, initially announced plans to transfer, but elected to stay at Penn State. He played in four games in 2025, and three in 2024 before an injury cut his redshirt freshman campaign short.
Who arrivedHansen (6-2, 220) is a senior transfer from Iowa State, where he rushed for 1,771 yards in three seasons, including 952 yards and six scores in 2025.
He had a big game in the 2024 Pop-Tarts Bowl, rushing for 82 yards and scoring three total touchdowns in a 42-41 win over Miami.
Hansen said he is inspired by the elusiveness of former NCAA and NFL great Barry Sanders.
“You need to get downhill,” Hansen said. “You need to get north and south. That’s pretty much what the running back position is, and it should be from Day 1. I think every college football team is looking for that type of back.”
Hansen said he ran behind strong offensive lines with the Cyclones.
“I think they did a great job of making holes and making it easier for me to make a decision and make it easier for my vision in making those quick decisions,” Hansen said.
“Also, it takes repetition in practice over time. You’ve got to take every rep, every practice as if it’s a game, and just really be in the moment at practice – as soon as you cross the white lines, you’re into it.”
Peoples (5-10, 214) is a junior transfer from Ohio State, where he was a member of the Buckeyes’ 2024-25 national championship team. That year, he backed up future NFL players TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins.
In 2025, he tallied 344 yards and three touchdowns and finished with 541 yards and five scores in two years at Ohio State.
He called leaving the Buckeyes for a Big Ten rival “a tough decision,” but added: “I’m honored to be in this position. I know my abilities, and I know what I’ve been working on will be showcased there in the stadium.”
Peoples said he felt awkward when he arrived at Penn State in January, but now says he’s part of a tight group of backs.
“I love these guys. I feel like we’re brothers now,” Peoples said. “If you would ask me that six months ago or around January, it may have been a totally different circumstance. But now, I feel really ingrained with the guys, blessed to be here.”
He expects to share playing time throughout camp and early in the season.
“We do have a lot of depth, which is a good thing, especially in today’s day and age of college football,” People said.
“You’ve got guys that can play multiple positions, guys that can help out anywhere on the field, whether that be not only offense, but also special teams as well. We have guys who can impact everything around the field. That’s critical and adds to the value of our room.
“This group has everything – we have the leadership, we have the ability. We always talk about how talented we are. But coach (Matt) Campbell makes it a huge emphasis that talent alone will only get you so far.
“After that, it’s going to take discipline – and he’s really been harping on with this group – how disciplined we can be, so that when it gets harder, we get better. That’s our challenge here in camp. After we climb that mountain, I think the sky’s the limit for this team. We definitely have all the tools to get it done.”
Also on the preseason roster: Amar’e Glover (6-0, 205), a freshman from Middletown, Delaware; D’Antae Shelley (5-11, 201), a freshman from State College; and Jeremy Washington (5-9, 172), a freshman from Washington, D.C.
Martin echoed the statement that the running backs group has high expectations.
“I feel very confident – James, Carson, Cam, and even the younger guys,” Martin said. “We know what we want to improve on, what we want to work on.”
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