ALTOONA, Pa. -- Down a starting running back already, the Penn State running back room took another big hit today as head coach James Franklin announced that Noah Cain will miss the remainder of the season following his injury against Indiana.
Cain, a sophomore, moved atop the depth chart when it was announced that starting running back Journey Brown would miss time because of an unspecified medical condition. Cain had three carries for 13 yards on the first drive of the game before exiting with his injury.
"Love Noah, so much respect for Noah," Franklin said during his press conference Tuesday. "He really had an unbelievable offseason and worked really hard for this opportunity."
It's another blow to a running back corps that was believed to be atop the Big Ten in depth, as well as skill. When the Nittany Lions hit the field Saturday against Ohio State, the running back group will be down three of its four top performers last year, with Ricky Slade having transferred to Old Dominion during the offseason.
Devyn Ford and true freshmen Caziah Holmes and Keyvone Lee will be the feature backs for Penn State as the season continues. Ford rushed for 69 yards and an infamous touchdown against the Hoosiers, while Holmes and Lee added 16 and 35 yards, respectively.
For now, it's Ford's show in the backfield, as he's complemented by the freshmen duo. His coach though, believes the feature role is something he's more than capable of handling; he's just got to keep growing into it.
"Obviously, there's a difference in being a guy who's rotating in with other backs and being the guy," Franklin said. "It's one thing when Noah was the starting back and Devyn was going to rotate in and be a complementary piece. I think he'll grow in that. There's no doubt that he has the talent to do that."
Penn State hosts Ohio State at 7:30pm Saturday, as the Nittany Lions look to avoid going 0-2 for the first time since 2012.