Matt Campbell’s running back room has gone from crowded to downright loaded, and that’s exactly how he wants it.
Penn State’s head coach said the backfield is set up to lean on four different runners this fall, with senior transfer Carson Hansen and junior transfer James Peoples leading the way and redshirt junior Cam Wallace plus redshirt sophomore Quinton Martin Jr. still very much in the mix. Campbell said both Hansen and Peoples have kept trending well in camp, while the competition behind them has clarified enough to show how he plans to use the group.
“The reality is, at that position, you're going to need a lot of them,” he told media. “It's rare that you find tailbacks that can do all the things within the offense.
They can all pass protect, they can all run, they can all catch, and so we're excited about that room. I think it's continued to progress forward and my guess is we'll need them all, whether it's even on offense or special teams.
All those guys I think will be great factors for us.”
Hansen and Peoples arrive with proven production. Hansen put up 952 rushing yards and six touchdowns in 11 games at Iowa State in 2025, and he added 134 receiving yards on 19 catches. Peoples, meanwhile, totaled 344 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 61 carries at Ohio State as a sophomore, along with 10 receptions for 50 yards.
That kind of depth changes the math for everyone else in the room. Wallace and Martin have been battling for a larger role, and Campbell’s approach gives them a path to stay involved rather than fading behind the transfers. With Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen now in the NFL, the old logjam is gone, but the new one still needs to be managed carefully.
Campbell’s answer is playing time - not just on offense, but on special teams too. He wants all four backs involved in enough ways to matter, and that includes potential work as kickoff and punt returners. That matters for Wallace and Martin in particular, because meaningful snaps can help keep them engaged and make them more likely to remain part of the program next season.
Campbell had to use the Transfer Portal when he was hired, but the next step is different. He needs stability, continuity, and a backfield that keeps producing from one year to the next. Giving Wallace and Martin real roles in 2026, while keeping Hansen and Peoples central to the offense, is the clearest way to make sure the talent and production don’t dip from 2026 to 2027.
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