It’s time for our annual top 10 season! Every summer, the staff votes for their top 10 players before next season. A first place is worth 10 points, second place is worth nine points, and so on.
How did you get here
Noah Cain wasted no time in attracting attention as a true freshman. While Cain didn’t make the kind of plays to get into the SportCenter Top 10, he gave the Nittany Lions something that was missing despite the program that generated elite runners, the type of runner who can constantly keep chains moving and shake the clock.
Cain is not just a typical full-bodied return of power. He has outstanding patience as he moves behind his blockers until the hole appears, then he goes up the field and falls forward for extra yards. He’s not the type to get caught in the backcourt and kill a drive with a second or third and long time, or force an early punt when the Nittany Lions are sitting on a lead.
Cain proved to be so effective that the amount of his touches became a frequent story, even while the team was undefeated and climbing the polls. Despite being part of a four-runner rotation, Cain saw his carries increase, which paid off with over 100 consecutive yards, 105 yards against Purdue and 102 on a maximum of 22 carries in Iowa.) However, an injury would force him to stop acting against Minnesota, Indiana and Rutgers, and would limit him to a single carry against Ohio State. He recovered with 92 yards, two touchdowns in the Cotton Bowl victory against Memphis.
What to expect in 2020
Cain will play a major role in Penn State’s offensive game plan for 2020, but the scope until the season unfolds is unknown. This is not due to Cain’s skill, but rather being part of an extremely talented runner with just one ball for everyone. Journey Brown believes himself to be the primary ball carrier after an explosive finish to 2019 that established him as one of the best riders in the nation. Cain will be alongside him, and he will certainly see his carries increase when Penn State is trying to kill a watch, or just in a situation where they need help keeping the chains moving. Ricky Slade will no longer be part of the rotation after being transferred to Old Dominion, although Cain’s classmate Devyn Ford will return and his role is expected to continue as well. Penn State also welcomes two well-known four-star runners in true freshmen Caziah Holmes and Keyvone Lee.
However, this eventually unfolds, Cain will be based on a phenomenal freshman season. While the offseason plans were thrown out the window, Cain should get even more physically developed and add more strength to his already powerful career style. He showed incredible restraint as a runner for a true freshman, something that can be difficult since players need to learn to adapt to the speed of the game and not just rely on athletics to beat everyone at lower levels. There is no doubt that Cain will continue to further develop his running ability and lead the rock in crucial situations for the Nittany Lions during the 2020 season.
