EVANSTON, Ill. — Trey Potts has turned out to be a very nice insurance policy for Penn State.
The former Williamsport High star again delivered for the Nittany Lions in a Big Ten road game, scoring two touchdowns in a 41-13 victory over Northwestern Saturday at Ryan Field.
The 5-9, 215-pound Potts, a transfer from Minnesota, ran 13 yards for a touchdown that tied it 10-10 late in the second quarter. He also caught a 30-yard scoring pass from backup quarterback Beau Pribula with 2:20 left in the game.
“It means a lot to me,” Potts said. “These guys are my brothers. They welcomed me and embraced me quickly. When my opportunity comes, I’m just trying to do anything I can to help this team win. It happened today.”
He threw an 11-yard option pass to tight end Tyler Warren for a touchdown at Illinois, giving him passing, rushing and receiving scores this season.
Potts saw extended action after Kaytron Allen sustained an upper-body injury on a run in the first quarter and did not return. Potts carried three times for 21 yards and caught one pass for his second score.
“Seider (running backs coach Ja’Juan Seider) told me to get ready,” Potts said. “I’ve been in that position before. I’ve played a lot of college football. I prepare like a starter week in and week out. When my number was called, I was prepared.”
Nick Singleton received the bulk of carries for Penn State, finishing with 80 yards on 21 carries, which tied a career high. He smiled broadly when he was asked about Potts’ performance.
“That’s my guy,” said Singleton, a Gov. Mifflin grad. “He’s the older cat in the running backs room. He always asks questions. You never see him complain about anything. He comes to work every day. I have a lot of respect for him. He’s always locked in.
“When his time came, he made a big impact. I’m really proud of him.”
Durant stands out: Penn State sophomore defensive tackle Zane Durant enjoyed a spectacular game against Northwestern, registering three tackles for loss, one sack and one quarterback hurry.
“He’s just been relentless,” Lions defensive end Adisa Isaac said. “He’s getting better every practice and every rep. That was just another practice for him, in a sense. I’m glad he came out with a big game. He earned it. You’re going to see some more from him.”
The 6-1, 285-pound Durant is part of a deep rotation at defensive tackle. He was one of the prized recruits in Penn State’s 2022 class.
“I’ve become more comfortable on the field when I’m playing,” Durant said. “I’m not thinking as much and I’ve been calm.”
Durant knocked out Northwestern quarterback Ben Bryant when he sacked him for a 9-yard loss on third-and-goal from the 1 early in the fourth quarter with Penn State leading 27-10. That forced the Wildcats to settle for a field goal.
Bryant appeared to injure his right shoulder and did not return.
“I thought about that (sacking Bryant) before the play,” Durant said. “That’s why I lined up that way.”
Injury report: Penn State guard JB Nelson and running back Kaytron Allen sustained injuries in the first half and did not return.
Nelson was carted off the field. Allen had an upper-body injury after he recovered his own fumble on a 6-yard run.
“JB is back with us,” Penn State coach James Franklin said. “I’m not sure about Kaytron, I haven’t gotten the medical report.”
By the numbers: The Lions have scored in 32 consecutive quarters after scoring in every quarter Saturday.
They stretched their winning streak to 10 games, their longest since 2007-08. They can make it 11 games in a row against Massachusetts on Oct. 14, which would be their first 11-game streak since 1998-99.
The official attendance of 25,064 was the smallest crowd for a Penn State game since a 34-29 win at Northwestern in 2005 when the crowd was listed as 24,395.
Source: Berkshire mont
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