Tyler Warren injury: Penn State star TE exits Orange Bowl vs. Notre Dame, heads to tent

Tyler Warren exited Thursday’s Orange Bowl against Notre Dame in the fourth quarter with an injury. His head hit the turf after a big play, and he immediately headed to the injury tent.

Warren caught a pass from Drew Allar for a 27-yard gain to get the Penn State drive started, but his head went back and hit the ground. He went to the tent for evaluation, but quickly returned to the game.

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Penn State later scored on the sequence when Nick Singleton broke through for a 7-yard touchdown to tie things back up at 17-17. For Nittany Lions fan, though, they were able to breathe a sigh of relief when Warren ran back onto the field.

Warren is the most important piece of the Penn State passing attack and continues to generate buzz in NFL Draft circles. He entered Thursday’s game with 98 receptions for 1,158 yards and eight touchdowns as Drew Allar’s top target.

But Warren’s impact goes beyond his receiving stats. He’s also part of the running game – taking 24 carries for 197 yards and four touchdowns – and has completed 3-of-6 passes for 35 yards and a touchdown this season.

He’s the definition of a Swiss Army knife for Andy Kotelnicki’s offense. James Franklin offered some high praise for Warren ahead of the Orange Bowl, explaining what makes him such a difficult cover.

“Tyler Warren, obviously, he’s a unique guy,” Franklin said. “Everybody talks about obviously his production as a receiver and as a runner, but it’s also as a blocker. He had some phenomenal blocks on Saturday. It helps that he’s 6’6″. He’s essentially 260 pounds. He’s able to block you like a traditional in-line tight end, or from the hip position. He’s smart enough to line up at the number one receiver, the number two receiver, the number three receiver, in the backfield as a fullback or H-back. However you want to describe it. He’s able to line up and play the quarterback position, take snaps under center as well from the gun. He’s able to throw the ball. He’s a former quarterback.”

“So it’s just a lot of different ways that we like to use him, and also which makes him difficult to defend,” Franklin said. “Because as a defensive coordinator, you don’t know where he will line up. If the threat always lines up in the slot or always lines up in a three-by-one to the single side – if you always know where the receiver or the threat lines up, it makes it easier to defend the guy. But when he can line up really anywhere on the field, it makes it very challenging.”