Tight ends and the Heisman Trophy don’t exactly go together.
But Penn State’s Tyler Warren isn’t a typical tight end.
The Lions’ star is listed at the position this season, but he’s also played wildcat quarterback, thrown a touchdown pass and snapped the ball on a play against USC that resulted in him catching a touchdown pass.
No, not your typical tight end.
Warren leads PSU in receptions (75), yards (910) and touchdown receptions (five). And not too many tight ends catch 17 passes for 224 yards and a score, which is what Warren did against the Trojans in October.
Will the 6-foot-6, 261-pound Warren’s athleticism and versatility be enough to earn him an invite to New York City as Heisman finalist?
Well, he’s just appeared as a guest on “The Official Heisman Trophy Podcast,” hosted by Chris Huston.
Huston pointed out on the podcast that since the Heisman Trophy folks began inviting finalists to New York City for the award ceremony in 1982, no tight end has received an invite.
Huston also said only a pair of two-way ends have won the Heisman: Yale’s Larry Kelley (1936) and Notre Dame’s Leon Hart (1949). Both were considered tight ends on offense.
And Huston noted Notre Dame tight end Ken MacAfee finished third to Texas running back Earl Campbell in the 1977 race.
Here are some highlights of Warren’s Heisman podcast appearance:
Could Warren play defensive end, the way Yale’s Kelley and Notre Dame’s Hart did the years they won the award?
“I don’t know if I could play as good as the D-ends we have here,” said Warren, whose Penn State team hosts Maryland on Saturday.
“But I’m sure I could line up and do my job but probably not at the level that we do at Penn State, so it would probably be a bad move on our part, trying to put me out there.”
Why has Penn State showcased Warren’s versatility this season?
“Part of it was Coach K coming in,” Warren said, referring to first-year Penn State offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki, who had a reputation for creative play-calling during his previous stop at Kansas.
“That’s kinda the way he is with his play-calling, is using guys and whatever they do best and whatever’s going to help that offense.
“I just really enjoy doing it because I feel like tight end is a position that does a little bit of everything and we just kinda expanded on that a little bit. It’s been really fun.”
Warren, asked about the trick play vs. USC that resulted in his 32-yard touchdown catch, said he had to improvise his route and quarterback Drew Allar noticed.
“Actually, when we ran the play (against USC), I was supposed to run like a corner (route) to the front pylon,” Warren said. “But one of their safeties just kind of fell down in that area, so I ended up just keeping it up the middle of the field. Drew (Allar) was on the same page as me and gave me a chance.”