Tyler Warren is playing arguably the greatest season by a Penn State tight end in program history, and coach James Franklin knows it.
Warren caught six passes for 68 yards in Penn State’s 44-7 win over Maryland at Beaver Stadium Saturday. With an Ohio State loss to Michigan, the No. 3 team in the country clinched a spot in the Big Ten Championship Game for the first time since 2016.
His second-quarter touchdown gave PSU a 31-7 lead before the half and cemented Warren further in the record books. Warren’s 17th career receiving touchdown surpassed Pat Freiermuth for most all-time by a tight end in Penn State history.
Tyler Warren passes Penn State great Pat Freiermuth for the most touchdowns caught by a PSU tight end in program history with 17 ‼️ pic.twitter.com/EsZLEnsNWr
— Austin Bechtold (@AustinRBechtold) November 30, 2024
No. 44 was named one of three Mackey Award finalists this week, honoring the best tight end in college football, alongside Colston Loveland (Michigan) and Harold Fannin Jr. (Bowling Green).
“They ought to bring the Mackey Award tonight, put it on a private jet, fly it to Tyler Warren, give it to him on Sunday, and then he should get an invitation to New York,” Franklin said. “He’s done it week in and week out.”
‘HE’S A BEAST’
Photo by Matt Lynch, Nittany Sports Now
The 6-foot-6 senior owns 81 receptions for 978 yards and six touchdowns during his record-breaking season.
1️⃣7️⃣ — All-Time Program Record #WeAre x #TylerWarren pic.twitter.com/5FYmcnROcv
— Penn State Football (@PennStateFball) November 30, 2024
“Yeah, he’s a beast and I think the point is that everybody goes into it saying you got to stop Tyler Warren,” James Franklin said. Everybody’s defensive game plan is we can’t allow 44 to impact the game, just like for us, it was (Maryland wide receiver) Tai Felton. We went into this saying Tai Felton was going to make some plays, he’s a really good player, but we have to limit his impact. Everybody said that every single week with Tyler Warren, no one’s done it.”
MAKING MORE HISTORY
Photo by Matt Lynch, Nittany Sports Now: Penn State TE Tyler Warren
With a nine-yard catch in the third and his 130th career grab, Warren surpassed Mike Gesicki for the most all-time receptions for a TE in PSU history. Warren broke the tight end records for receptions and yards in a season earlier this year and smashed the Big Ten receptions record previously held by Wisconsin’s Travis Beckum (75), who played his last game in 2007.
Rewriting the History Books. #WeAre x #TylerWarren pic.twitter.com/3aTbB9obqc
— Penn State Football (@PennStateFball) November 30, 2024
He rushed for 32 yards on a backward pass, very close to being ruled forward, and closed the 12-game schedule with 189 rushing yards and four scores. Warren is one of only four Big Ten tight ends since 1956 to rush for four or more touchdowns in a season. He also completed a nine-yard pass to Nicholas Singleton for a first down in the win.
“He’s a special guy,” James Franklin said. “His humility is impressive. You guys ask him questions, every question he gets, it’s an opportunity for him to turn the attention to his teammates. He’s a stud.”
An honorable mention All-Big Ten player in 2023, Warren looks to become Penn State’s first consensus first-team All-American tight end in 30 years when Kyle Brady earned the award and was selected in the first round of the 1995 draft. Freiermuth was the last first-team All-Big Ten pick in the room during the 2019 season.
Penn State finished the regular season 11-1 for the first time since 2008 and vie for the Big Ten Championship in Indianapolis at 8 p.m. on CBS Saturday, Dec. 7.
#TylerWarren hurdle on repeat 🔄 pic.twitter.com/FVjrAP6TzB
— Penn State Football (@PennStateFball) November 30, 2024
