UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Kaytron Allen doesn't like to talk much about himself, doesn't like to share many details about his past or open up much about specifics of his game.
He's not really comfortable doing interviews, which isn't all that unusual for a freshman.
In every sense, therefore, Allen is the kind of football player who just likes to let his play speak for itself.
"I just love playing football," the Penn State running back said during a media availability last week. "It's what I love to do. Every time I get the ball, I just try to make something happen for my team."
He believes, when he gets the ball, that he can get to the end zone on every carry.
"Yeah, for sure," Allen said. "I'm trying to get in the end zone. And I can't be stopped, that's what I'm thinking every time. And I won't be stopped."
Allen enjoyed an excellent true freshman season, rushing for 867 yards with 10 TDs and averaging 5.2 yards per carry. He joined with Nicholas Singleton to become the first Big Ten freshman duo to each top 700 yards rushing in a season.
Singleton proved to be the home run hitter, with several long touchdown runs.
Allen became the more reliable runner between the tackles, getting tough yards pretty much any time Penn State needed them.
He showed tremendous vision and patience for a freshman running back, looking kind of like a certain former Steelers runner. That's no coincidence, either, as Allen mentioned that particular guy when asked about his running style.
"I'd be watching Le'Veon Bell, Adrian Peterson," he said. "I tried to learn from them, try to continue my game to be like theirs or be even better."
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Le'Veon Bell during his Steelers tenure.
Asked to expand on what he learned about Bell's patience, Allen replied, "It's just like watching everything go in the play."
That's about it when it comes to specifics from Allen. Again, he's not the kind of guy who's gonna give long, detailed answers to questions, so you have to find any little nugget you can in his responses.
During interviews at the Rose Bowl and last week, Allen offered up very little when asked about splitting carries with Singleton or what best prepared him for college success.
How is he different from high school?
"Ain't nothing changed. Still the same me," he said.
Is he faster now, since the guy everyone calls "Fatman" was said to have lost a good bit of weight?
"Do I look faster," he answered when asked, confusing reporters who didn't see him in person in high school and then playing coy about even being asked.
During their freshman season, Singleton became the outside runner and Allen the inside runner. So, I asked him if he would like a chance to get outside more.
"Anything. Whatever play call, I'm gonna do it," he said.
So, does he like going between the tackles and taking those hits?
"I just like running the ball," Allen said. "It's just aight just getting the ball, any time I can get the ball. I'm not tripping about if I'm running inside, outside. I'm not thinking about that. I'm just running the ball."
Allen did say he loves to compete every day, and that's really the thing that will help him have continued success in college. Some high school running backs get to this level and just simply aren't ready to compete at a high enough level, and that's not the case here.
When asked about the most enjoyable aspect of his freshman season, Allen once again offered no specifics.
"This year I'm just trying to get even better," he replied. "It was an aight freshman season. It was great. But I'm just trying to get even better this year."
Allen is a man of few words, no doubt. But none of that really matters as long as he continues to let his play on the field do the talking for him.
