Carson Hansen doesn’t sound like a player trying to blend into Penn State’s offense.
He sounds like someone ready to force his way into the center of it.
The Iowa State transfer is projected to open 2026 as Penn State’s starting running back after putting together a 952-yard season with six touchdowns and 5.1 yards per carry. And while that alone would put him in line for a major role, Penn State’s staff has made it clear he won’t be carrying the backfield alone. Quinton Martin Jr., David Peoples and Cam Wallace are all in the mix, and new running backs coach Savon Huggins has stressed that the room will sort itself out.
“It all figures itself out in the end - who can be the most consistent, take care of the ball, and be reliable in pass protection,” Huggins said. “I told all the guys, you make the depth chart not me.”
That competition is part of the deal for Hansen, who knows the depth chart won’t be handed to anyone. He also knows the running back room is going to be built on more than just talent.
“We’re going to need everyone at some point, whether it’s special teams or whatever it is, we’re going to need everyone in the room,” Hansen said. “We’re going to need everyone in this room for everything.
So, that’s kind of what Campbell emphasizes. And like, if there’s one guy that’s off and not holding up the standard, it’s going to pull pull the rest of us down.
So we’ve got to keep everyone up.”
For Hansen, that mentality ties into a Buddhist concept he leans on called mudita, which means taking joy in the success of others. In a position group where touches are limited and every rep matters, that’s easier said than done.
“It’s hard as a running back, but you have to have love for the other’s success,” Hansen said. “You’re going to be miserable if you’re thinking about the competition 24/7.
You’ve just got to be brothers. We’re brothers, and we’re also competing at the same time.
You’ve got to be able to balance it and really do a great job with that.”
Hansen said that balance is especially important because Penn State’s backs are pushing each other in every part of the game. The expectation from Campbell and Huggins is that all four can contribute, and that none of them can afford to drift.
That competitive edge has always been there for Hansen. But when he was growing up in Lakeville, Minnesota, his running back blueprint didn’t come from Adrian Peterson. It came from Barry Sanders.
Sanders was the player Hansen studied, and one of the highlights he remembers most is a 1991 game against the Cowboys, when Sanders appeared trapped before slipping out of a pile and turning it into a 40-plus yard touchdown.
“He just didn’t ever go down, and he was very elusive and very good laterally,” Hansen said. “He didn’t have top, top speed, but he was so quick and could cut on a dime, so it was pretty cool to watch.”
Hansen isn’t promising Barry Sanders-level magic, but he does know what he wants to bring to Penn State. He finished last season with five straight 100-plus yard rushing games, and he says his game is built on decisive, downhill running with more room to grow in the open field.
“I’ll be a downhill runner. I’ll be decisive. I want to keep continuing on my open field running, and that’s really going to be a really big emphasis this year,” Hansen said.
Penn State’s offense has plenty of other names expected to matter, including quarterback Rocco Becht, wide receivers Chase Sowell and Brett Eskildsen, and tight ends Ben Brahmer and Gabe Burkle. But Hansen wants to make sure he’s not an afterthought in that mix.
“I’m really just trying to make plays and be an X factor this year.”
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Penn States Massive Lines Are Fueling A Fascinating Identity Debate
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The bigger question now is what that added size means for the teams identity under Matt Campbell. More mass on both fronts can help a team hold up in the trenches, but it can also change how that team wants to play and what kind of tempo or style it can sustain. Penn State has clearly chosen to lean into a more imposing profile, and the real intrigue is whether that change ends up looking like a strength or a trade-off once the games start to matter. [Read more 🡒]