Who was Saquon Barkley's coach in college? Revisiting Eagles RB's CFB career ahead of Super Bowl 59

Saquon Barkley has already enjoyed one of the best seasons in the history of the NFL with the Philadelphia Eagles after arriving as a free agent last offseason. On Sunday, the star running back will have the opportunity to top it up with a Super Bowl victory when the Eagles face the Kansas City Chiefs at Caesars Superdome.

While Barkley has made headlines for his incredible performances this season, his abilities have long been apparent since his time in college. He spent three years as a college player for the Penn State Nittany Lions prior to his time with the New York Giants.

Barkley played collegiate football for three years under James Franklin's coaching. The soon-to-be 28-year-old running back is really one of Franklin's first notable recruiting successes during his time as PSU's coach.

Barkley is typically considered the hallmark of Franklin's early recruiting strategy as he committed with Penn State in 2015 after first signing with Rutgers.

Franklin has continued to be one of the running back's trusted advisors and counsel even after Barkley left collegiate football for the NFL in 2018. Over the years, Barkley has also made several trips back to Penn State for offseason visits and to watch games.

Exploring Saquon Barkley's college football stats

One of the most dynamic athletes in Penn State's history, Saquon Barkley played for the Nittany Lions from 2015 to 2017. He was a vital member of PSU's team because of his unique blend of strength, speed, agility and adaptability.

Barkley demonstrated his explosiveness by rushing for 1,076 yards and seven touchdowns in his first year with the Nittany Lions. Early that season, the running back struggled with injuries and shared the workload in the backfield, but he still distinguished himself with exceptional performances.

Saquon Barkley finished with 1,496 running yards and 18 scores in his second season in 2016. He also added four rushing touchdowns and 402 receiving yards. With his versatility that year, he showed that he was nearly as lethal as a receiver, runner or even a return specialist.

Barkley carried for 1,271 yards and 18 touchdowns in his final season in 2017. He also added three touchdowns on the run and 632 receiving yards. He came in fourth place in that year's Heisman vote behind quarterbacks Baker Mayfield, Lamar Jackson and running back Bryce Love.

During his three-year career in college, Barkley amassed 3,843 rushing yards and 1,195 receiving yards, earning him two Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year awards and one unanimous All-American selection in 2017.

Barkley was selected as the No. 2 overall pick by the New York Giants in the 2018 NFL Draft. He played for the team for six years before moving to the Philadelphia Eagles in 2024.