James Franklin delivers high praise on Tyler Warren, impact on Penn State offense

The Penn State Nittany Lions have been able to rely on tight end Tyler Warren throughout the season to make his impact felt on the offensive side of the ball. A versatile player, head coach James Franklin has been happy to use him in several different roles.

Ahead of the College Football Playoff quarterfinals, Franklin continued to praise Warren, explaining that his blend of IQ and talent makes him an incredibly unique weapon for the Nittany Lions.

“Tyler Warren, obviously, he’s a unique guy,” James 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.”

Throughout the season, Penn State has used Tyler Warren in several unique ways. Beyond being a tight end, he can line up at wide receiver. He can also take snaps at quarterback in the Wildcat formation, proving to be an effective thrower that makes him difficult to defend.

“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.”

This season, Tyler Warren has 92 receptions for 1,095 yards and six touchdowns. He also has 24 rushing attempts this season, gaining another 197 yards and four touchdowns on the ground. Warren has even completed three passes for 35 yards and another touchdown.

“And his football IQ, as well as his background in playing multiple sports, high-level baseball, high-level basketball, high-level football player in high school. Then on top of that, the fact that he played quarterback just gives us the flexibility to use him in a ton of different ways,” Franklin said. “We’ve done a lot of these things over his career, but with him being kind of the focal point at our tight end position this year – last year, he shared that role with a tight end [Theo Johnson] who got drafted in the second round by the [New York] Giants. This year, he’s doing that as kind of the leader of the tight end room, but also one of the focal points of our offense.”

When Tyler Warren won the Mackey Award as the nation’s best tight end, it was no surprise. Still, it also showed just how much attention he’s garnered nationally.

“His physical skills, his athletic skills, and his intelligence allows us to use him in a ton of different ways and combine all of those things we have done throughout his career and do it all in one year — and sometimes all in one game,” Franklin concluded.

For James Franklin and Tyler Warren, their next game together is going to be in the Fiesta Bowl against Boise State. That will act as a Playoff quarterfinal and could be Warren’s last game for Penn State.