Penn State duo 'loved' Detroit Lions' Sonic and Knuckles RB tandem

Though the pairing is now a thing of the past for the Detroit Lions , the Sonic and Knuckles duo was terrific for the Lions over the course of the past three NFL seasons. Jahmyr Gibbs became a three-time Pro Bowler and David Montgomery still ran for 2,506 yards and 33 touchdowns over those three campaigns. Ultimately, Montgomery seemingly wanted to be a featured back, leading to the Lions dealing him to the Houston Texans ahead of the new league year.

But, the balancing act between Gibbs and Montgomery certainly saved the pair some wear-and-tear over the last three seasons. Gibbs ranked 11th in rushing attempts last season, while Montgomery ranked 31st. Gibbs' 243 carries were 80 less than Jonathan Taylor's league-leading 323 totes.

The Lions' approach caught the attention of Penn State running back tandem Kaytron Allen and Nick Singleton. That duo split carries throughout their four-year collegiate careers, and in an ESPN piece examining how two-back systems are becoming the NFL norm , Allen and Singleton say they appreciated the Gibbs-Montgomery combo in the Motor City. But there's an acknowledgment, too, from the teams and players, that most running back situations will become rotational.

Allen and Singleton admired Lions tandem David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs, who shared carries the past three seasons until Montgomery was traded last month. "I would say [Allen] is Montgomery and I'm Gibbs," Singleton said. "We loved that duo so much, how they played off of each other.