Penn State’s running back picture has been fluid all month, and that’s only made the conversation sharper as Big Ten play arrives. The staff has been high on all four options - Carson Hansen, James Peoples, Quinton Martin Jr. and Cam Wallace - but the way those carries have been distributed through the nonconference schedule has left one question hanging over the room: who should be the starter moving forward?
Hansen opened the year as the bell cow in the first two weeks, then saw his role shrink. In Penn State’s dominant win over Buffalo, he finished with the fewest carries among the four backs. That opened the door for the rest of the group, and two names have pushed themselves into the center of the debate for very different reasons.
Quinton Martin Jr. made his strongest case against Buffalo. He turned 10 carries into 100 yards and was the clear spark in a game that also marked Penn State’s best rushing performance of the season.
Martin has now shown the same kind of explosion in his other featured chances, including the Pinstripe Bowl against Clemson last year, when he also topped 100 yards. The burst is obvious, but so is the versatility.
He has held up in pass protection, caught the ball at a high rate and given defenses something extra to worry about as a receiver. There’s also the matter of how he responded after not getting a snap against Temple.
According to Matt Campbell, Martin had “one of his best weeks of practice,” then carried that into game day and forced the staff to keep him on the field. Even if Penn State doesn’t have a true No. 1 back, Martin has made a strong argument for the most weekly touches.
James Peoples, though, has built his own case the old-fashioned way: by getting better every week. He came into 2026 with plenty of buzz, including a spot on the Doak Walker Award watch list with Hansen, after two seasons at Ohio State behind TreVeyon Henderson and CJ Donaldson.
So far, he’s looked like a back ready to take the next step. Against Marshall, he averaged 3.9 yards per carry on eight attempts.
Against Temple, he jumped to six yards per rush and flashed his toughness, fighting for extra yards and even delivering a highlight-reel hurdle. Then against Buffalo, he found the end zone twice - first on a 16-yard run off the right side, then by powering through two defenders for another score.
He may not have the most experience of the four, but his mix of speed, toughness and determination has him looking like the most complete option for the job.
Penn State’s backfield has enough depth that the answer may not be as simple as naming one lead runner. Still, with conference play beginning, the choice comes down to which skill set you trust most.
Martin has the most electric upside and the clearest case for the most carries. Peoples has the most convincing blend of traits to handle the starting role.
In Other News...
Penn State Staffer Faces Serious Off-Field Legal Trouble
A Penn State assistant coach is now dealing with an off-field situation that is drawing attention in State College and around the program. Jordan Lucas, the Nittany Lions assistant cornerbacks coach, was charged with two misdemeanor counts of DUI and three summary traffic violations after police found him asleep in a vehicle downtown with a blood alcohol level nearly three times the legal limit.
The stop came after officers found the vehicle illegally positioned in a crosswalk, with Lucas also listed as having a suspended drivers license and an expired vehicle registration. Penn State acknowledged the charges and said Lucas remains with the program while the legal matter moves forward, leaving the university to manage both the public fallout and the uncertainty around what comes next. [Read more 🡒]
Penn States Offensive Line Just Got Thinner At The Worst Time
Penn States offensive line depth took another hit at an unwelcome time, with Will Tompkins ruled out for the season because of injury, according to coach Matt Campbell. Tompkins had played 31 snaps across the first three games after transferring in from Iowa State, giving the Nittany Lions another experienced body in a position group that can never have enough of them.
The setback leaves Penn State without a player it had hoped could help stabilize things as the year unfolded, and it also delays any chance to see how he might have fit into the rotation over a full season. There is still some long-term silver lining: Tompkins is expected to keep four years of eligibility after this season, so his Penn State story is far from over even if this one now pauses before it really got going. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Just Lost A Dangerous Weapon Before Wisconsin
Penn State heads into its Big Ten opener against Wisconsin already having to adjust its passing game, with wide receiver Koby Howard expected to be out for an extended period after getting hurt in the Week 3 win over Buffalo. Head coach Matt Campbell confirmed Howard will miss the game, and the timing matters because Howard has been the teams receiving leader through the first three contests.
Howards absence takes away one of Penn States most productive early-season targets and forces the staff to rethink how it wants to attack a Wisconsin defense that will now have fewer reasons to account for him. The injury is not season-ending, but for a team trying to establish itself in conference play, losing a player with Howards production right before league action begins is a meaningful setback. [Read more 🡒]