Tight end Tyler Warren helps fuel Nittany Lions' offense in victory

By Greg Pickel

STATE COLLEGE — Tyler Warren is a well-known player in Penn State circles. The senior, who played quarterback in high school before changing positions when he reached the college level, has put a ton of work in on and off the field for the Nittany Lions. Saturday marked his 42nd contest in blue and white. He has started at least one game in each of the past two seasons and was a third-team All-Big Ten pick a year ago. Yet, if you looked at the media lists of top returning tight ends in college football from back in the summer, you would not find his name on the national radar.

After two weeks, that’s changing. And, it’s doing so in a big way. Before long, Warren’s name won’t just be known by fans or seen in the program’s record books. It will be respected nationally, too.

Warren etched his name in program lore against Bowling Green. He hauled in all eight of the passes that came his way for 146 yards, which is now the most ever by a Penn State tight end in a single game. He now has 11 catches for 196 yards and a touchdown over the first two weeks of the season. Attention is coming his way. And, it is well deserved.

More: What did Penn State coach James Franklin say on lack of snaps for KJ Winston Jr., Andrew Rappleyea being out?

“He’s just so consistent in what he does,” quarterback Drew Allar said. “It’s very valuable. He’s very consistent, probably one of the most consistent guys on our team, on both sides of the ball. And obviously he’s a really big target, so that’s nice. And he just finds ways to get open. He does a really good job of feeling zone versus man and those sorts of things. And he’s super crafty and savvy in that aspect of his game. And obviously he’s a really good run blocker. So, very complete tight end. And it’s really nice to have that as an option to throw to when he catches ball in an open field.”

The junior passer and second-year starter is not alone in believing in Warren’s all-around abilities. Lions coach James Franklin started sending the hype train down the track when he recently called the senior the most complete tight end in the country.

“He truly is a weapon in the run game as a blocker. He truly is a weapon on third down in the passing game,” Franklin said.

Through two weeks, Warren is proving Franklin’s point. Besides the historic day in the pass-catching department against the Falcons, he also was the key clog in clearing the way for running back Nicholas Singleton’s 41-yard touchdown run to ice the 34-27 nailbiting victory. Position coach Ty Howle went a step further in explaining how Warren can control a game.

More: What did Penn State coach James Franklin say on lack of snaps for KJ Winston Jr., Andrew Rappleyea being out?

“It’s rare nowadays in football where guys can control the ‘C’ gap at a high level in blocking but also get open in man-to-man coverage and do a ton of different jobs from a mental standpoint,” Howle said. “And he’s one of those rare guys that is a really good blocker, he’s physical, he understands how to run routes and can really be a multi-tool tight end.”

“You find a lot of guys who are really good in one aspect or two aspects, and I think for him, the progression has been being good in all of it.”

Warren does not toot his own horn. When asked about his stellar play, he’s quick to point out what a teammate’s actions or coach’s call did to lead to it. Take what he said when asked about his big game against Bowling Green, for example.

A Team-First Guy

“This game plan had some shots for the tight ends, and that’s what was open,” Warren said. “But like you saw [against West Virginia] with Trey [Wallace], he had a lot of big plays. And I think it just kind of speaks to the skill we have around offense. This week, it was me. Last week, it was Trey, the next upcoming game, it could be somebody different and keep going through the season like that. So I think it just kind of speaks to what Coach [Kotelnicki] has done and how we are embracing offense and spreading the ball.

It’s more proof that Warren is a team-first guy who lives by the Penn State mantra of with team success comes individual success. He is also the guy who has been powering the Penn State offense for two weeks. He’s a leader on and off the field, a constant safety net for Allar who can also cash in on chunk plays, and a willing blocker who does the dirty, unrecognized work to help the Lions’ talented running backs shine.

Put it all together, and the attention and accolades are coming for Warren. And, once they arrive, he will be as deserving of them as anybody.