HAPPY VALLEY, PA — Tyler Warren has been a man of many hats for the Penn State Nittany Lions this season. With 130 catches over his career, Warren has emerged as a wide receiver foundation piece for the offense and demonstrated how far he’s come as an athlete and incoming offensive leader on Sundays. James Franklin’s head coach offered some insight into what makes Warren so integral to the team’s strategy and success.
“And he just continues to work and develop in all areas as a blocker. We continue to be big believers that the tight ends should be doing that as part of their job description, which isn’t always true,” Penn State head coach James Frnaklin said.
This commitment to blocking is crucial in a new NFL era when a tight end’s role typically skews heavily toward receiving, but Warren has shown he can do both.
Warren’s versatility is a significant asset beyond his blocking skills. Coach Franklin emphasized how they have used him at several spots: “We’ve had him as a Wildcat quarterback for multiple years now… He’s a wide receiver right now.” Passing was one of the aforementioned areas that Warren needed to improve, and now we know how well he can excel on the ground as a Wildcat quarterback—paving the way for plenty of innovative ways in which this coaching staff can utilize his dynamic skill set.
“He’s got unique ball skills and body control for a big human being, and he’s having a phenomenal year,” Franklin said.
Those qualities enable him to succeed in several roles — be it lined up as a traditional tight end, in the backfield as a fullback, or out wide as a primary receiver.
But it isn’t only the numbers with Warren that resonate; it’s what he presents defensively to opponents.
“One of their big goals is to try and limit his impact,” Franklin continued. “Hasn’t occurred very often yet because it’s difficult to do when you play a tight end the way we do.“
When moving up to the perimeter or in either post position, Warren causes havoc by forcing defensive schemes into extensive/outnumbered treaties to contain influence.
“He’s had an incredible year for us. He’s the model just in terms of how he’s handled all of this with such humility,” Franklin said proudly of Warren. Tyler Warren’s blend of talent, versatility, and character clearly bolsters the potency of the Nittany Lions’ offense and what being a team player means.
With so much potential ahead, they can be assured that only more greatness is in store from the electrifying Tyler Warren on both sides of the ball as this season plays out.
