James Franklin pushes to get Tyler Warren into Heisman conversation

Penn State football already believes Tyler Warren is the best tight end in college football this season. But after another head-turning performance in the Nittany Lions’ rout of Purdue, James Franklin is pushing for that conversation to be elevated to a much larger stage.

“I’ve stated it earlier in the year. I’ve stated it tonight. I think Tyler Warren should be a part of all the conversations that deal with the best football player in college football,” Franklin said in his postgame press conference when asked if Warren should be considered for the Heisman Trophy. “I don’t think it’s a question. And that’s all those types of awards, including the Heisman, yes, sir.”

Warren was dominant in the Nittany Lions’ 49-10 win over the Boilermakers, leading the team with 127 receiving yards and 63 rushing yards. He had his first career game with a rushing and receiving score.

Among his long list of accomplishments on the day, Warren continued a 26-game streak with at least one catch and moved into sixth place in Penn State football history with 67 receptions this season.

Franklin: Warren’s performance has exceeded expectations in new Penn State offense

Now ten games into the season, Tyler Warren has 965 all-purpose yards and nine touchdowns, along with 26 passing yards and one passing touchdown. One of the most versatile weapons we’ve seen in Happy Valley in recent years, Warren has been the motor that has propelled the Penn State offense in 2024.

“We’ve used him this way in that past,” James Franklin said of Warren’s versatility. “It’s not like this is the first time we’ve done it. And I think I’ve talked to you guys about what makes him probably more unique than most is he checks a ton of boxes. So what I mean by that is you may want to use a guy like this, but they don’t have the football IQ to handle lining up in all the different positions. The motioning. The shifting. Being able to block. Like, God forbid, a tight end in today’s college football, and sometimes the NFL, block. Like he does that too and takes great pride in it.

“You know, I’ve said this before, but even just being able to use a cadence. A lot of times, you put a guy back there, and you’re trying to use a cadence, and they’re not comfortable doing it, and it messes it up with the center, and the rhythm is not right. Running a quarterback sneak under center. Like sometimes in today’s college football, there’s some quarterbacks that haven’t taken a snap under center. Let alone a tight end.

© Alex Martin/Journal and Courier / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

“So I think all of these things that he can do makes it valuable. And a lot of times when you use a guy like that, they can’t throw. But the fact that he can throw keeps the defense honest. Because if it’s just ‘we put you back there, and it’s Wildcat quarterback,’ and they got every single person in the box, then that’s a totally different animal. And it’s much less challenging to defend. So all these little things that you can do with him, it is a headache. It is a headache.”

Tyler Warren is not currently among the top choices for the Heisman Trophy on most major betting websites. But his head coach believes his play is still worthy of a trip in New York come December.

“Did I anticipate or did I predict us using him in this way? Yes. [Did I think he’d have] this level of success? No, I don’t know if I would necessarily say that,” Franklin continued. “I thought he’d have a good year. I think he’s having one of the more special years that I can remember in my 30 years, specifically at that position.

“And again, I think he’s gotten to the point where this conversation exceeds just the position.”

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