As Penn State completed a 33-30 comeback effort vs. USC on Saturday, it went deep into its playbook.
Offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki has become known for the creativity he adds to the Nittany Lions' offense, and in the third quarter vs. the Trojans, he had tight end Tyler Warren snap the ball before he caught a deep touchdown pass, continuing a monster performance.
Warren has played a massive role for Penn State this season, but not just as a reliable target for quarterback Drew Allar. The tight end has thrown passes and lined up all across the field, an unmatched versatility that continued vs. USC with a record-breaking day.
Here's a look at Warren's backyard-football style touchdown vs. USC, along with his stats and snap counts by position in Week 7 and his NFL Draft projections.
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Penn State trick play
Penn State, ranked fourth in the most recent AP Poll, fell down 20-6 to the unranked Trojans at halftime. However, the Nittany Lions got right back in the game with some wizardry.
After snapping the ball to backup quarterback Beau Pribula, Warren immediately ran up the middle of the field while Pribula threw a backwards pass to Allar. Warren was an eligible receiver because Penn State lined up all four offensive lineman to his right in the trick formation.
Allar, the Nittany Lions' starting QB who lined up at wide receiver, then fired the ball right back to Warren, who made a physical grab in the end zone to make it a one-score game.
Penn State went on to tie the game at 20 in the third quarter, crawling back into the conference matchup on the road before Ryan Barker nailed a game-winning field goal in overtime.
Even outside of the unique play call, though, Warren played a massive role for the Nittany Lions on Saturday.
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Tyler Warren stats vs. USC
Warren finished with 17 catches, tying the FBS record for most in a game by a tight end, also posting 221 receiving yards and a touchdown. He mixed in a four-yard rush and a nine-yard pass as well.
With those kind of numbers, Warren broke multiple records vs. the Trojans. The senior snapped his program's single-game record for receiving yards by a tight end for the second time this season and overtook the record for most receptions in a game by a USC opponent.
Warren's historic day was among the top single-game performances by a tight end in college football history, and he's become Allar's top target in the air this season by a mile. Through Penn State's first five games, he totaled 23 receptions for 289 yards and four total touchdowns.
Tyler Warren snap count by position
Whenever he wasn't making a big catch for the Nittany Lions, Warren was showcasing his impact in other ways, whether it was blocking, passing or running the ball.
The CBS broadcast provided an in-game look at Warren's snap count, which included time at quarterback, running back, wide receiver and tight end.
Penn State head coach James Franklin has called Warren "the best tight end in college football" before, and Warren will certainly be gaining more national attention after his incredible performance against the Trojans.
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Tyler Warren NFL Draft projections
In June, The Draft Network projected Warren to be a second-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, listing his strengths as his physicality, route-running, yards after the catch and more.
However, Warren could easily hear his name called in the first round of April's draft if he can maintain the versatile production he's showcased throughout the 2024 season so far. Warren's impact goes further than the tight end position, and his numbers against USC on the road on Saturday are sure to draw the attention of NFL scouts.
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