Tag: Tyler Warren

Theo Johnson showing his smoothness during Senior Bowl week

Theo Johnson showing off his smooth route running at this week’s Senior Bowl

If you watched any Penn State games this past season, you know that the Nittany Lions threw to the tight ends a ton. Sixteen of quarterback [autotag]Drew Allar’s[/autotag] touchdown passes were thrown to tight ends, the most in the nation during the 2023 season. [autotag]Theo Johnson[/autotag], the leader of the group, along with [autotag]Tyler Warren,[/autotag] caught seven apiece and were huge safety vales for their quarterback.

This week at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama, Johnson showed his smooth route, running over the middle and his elite hands. Johnson’s best trait, perhaps, is his size. At 6-foot-6 and 255 pounds, he has a tremendous catch radius and footwork like a wide receiver.

Just take a look at this route and catch from Michael Penix Jr. pass:

Johnson’s 2023 season in State College, where he caught seven receiving touchdowns, was tied for third in a single season among Penn State’s tight ends. The coaches and media also voted him an All-Big Ten honorable mention honoree.

Although not a complete vertical threat, Johnson’s hands and catching ability should lead to yards after catch at the next level. For someone who is that big, his route running and size can be a huge matchup mismatch for NFL teams looking for an over-the-middle threat.

Other than Georgia’s Brock Bowers and Texas’ Ja’Tavion Sanders, the rest of the 2024 tight-end class is up for grabs. With Johnson’s impressive week in Mobile, he could be looking at being the third or fourth tight end drafted. His biggest negative is his lack of blocking prowess and ability to hold up against superior NFL defensive linemen.

Before this week, many draft prognosticators viewed Johnson as a Day 3 pick, most likely somewhere in the fourth round. His performances have definitely improved his draft stock, and if that continues into the game on Saturday, Johnson could be looking at himself as a solid third-round selection.

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Peach Bowl dud ends Penn State’s season with 38-25 loss to Ole Miss

Penn State’s frustrating season ended with a blowout loss to Ole Miss in the Peach Bowl.

A year after celebrating a bowl victory in a shower of rose petals, Penn State’s end to the 2023 season was anything but peachy. Penn State was dominated by Ole Miss in the Peach Bowl and ended the year with a stinker in a 38-25 loss in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl on Saturday afternoon. The Nittany Lions defense was shredded by Ole Miss, which took advantage of favorable matchups in the passing game all afternoon in Atlanta.

Penn State struck first with a field goal by [autotag]Alex Felkins[/autotag] from 26 yards on their first offensive series of the game. That came after the defense forced a quick three-and-out against the Ole Miss defense to start the game, which led to Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart heading to the medical tent at the end of the brief possession.

Penn State may have caught some breaks on the ensuing Ole Miss possession. After the Rebels entered the red zone, officials blew dead what could have been a live ball for an Ole Miss touchdown due to a whistle for an offside penalty on Penn State. The Rebels had to settle for a field goal after officials missed another potential penalty on Penn State on the following snap.

Both teams scored twice in the second quarter with Penn State scoring a pair of touchdowns with a touchdown pass from [autotag]Beau Pribula[/autotag] to [autotag]Nick Singleton[/autotag] and a [autotag]Drew Allar[/autotag] pass to [autotag]Theo Johnson[/autotag]. But the half ended with Penn State trailing by a score of 20-17 after giving up 340 yards of offense to the Rebels. And of the 115 passing yards Allar had at the half, 75 of them came on one play at the end of the first quarter when [autotag]Tyler Warren[/autotag] caught a pass and ran for a big gain.

Dart had gotten in a rhythm with his passing and gashed a Penn State defense playing without its top two defensive backs and top defensive end, and a defense that took some injuries at linebacker in the first half to [autotag]Kobe King[/autotag] and [autotag]Abdul Carter[/autotag]. Dart connected six times in the first half with tight end Caden Prieskorn, twice for a touchdown and three times for a first down, and five times with star wide receiver Tre Harris, each time for a first down.

The third quarter was a disaster for Penn State. The offense went three-and-out on all three third-quarter possessions. Meanwhile, the Rebels just continued to take advantage of its tempo to leave the Penn State defense scrambling and unable to catch up. Ole Miss added 10 points to its halftime lead and took a 31-17 lead into the fourth quarter. At that point, the game was all but decided as Penn State’s threat of a comeback was thwarted with a blocked field goal that led to an Ole Miss touchdown run by Dart to put the game well out of reach at 38-17. A late touchdown pass from Allar to [autotag]Harrison Wallace III[/autotag] cut into the Ole Miss lead, but was too little, too late.

Penn State played the Peach Bowl without some key players who opted out of the game with an eye toward their NFL futures. Penn State was without offensive lineman [autotag]Olu Fashanu[/autotag], defensive end [autotag]Chop Robinson[/autotag], and cornerback [autotag]Kalen King[/autotag]. All three could be potential first-round draft picks in the 2024 NFL draft. Penn State was also without [autotag]Manny Diaz[/autotag], who left his position as defensive coordinator to become the head coach at Duke. The defense looked disorganized, which should have been expected given the absences from what was rated one of the top defensive units of the season. But the offensive struggles were nothing new for the roster, and there was no evidence of finding ways to change things up in the bowl game.

Penn State will now look forward to the 2024 college football season, which will be quite an interesting year for the Big Ten and the entire college football landscape. Penn State will open the 2024 season on the road at West Virginia on Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024. The Big Ten will also welcome four new members in Oregon, UCLA, USC, and Washington, and Penn State will face each of them except for Oregon. The College Football Playoff will also expand to 12 teams next season, making it easier than ever for the Nittany Lions to get into the playoff mix in the playoff era. Well, if they can patch up the offense at all between now and next fall.

Penn State’s spring game, the Blue-White Game, is scheduled for Saturday, April 13, 2024.

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Penn State TE Tyler Warren announces return for 2024

Penn State tight end Tyler Warren announced his NFL decision and Peach Bowl status.

Penn State tight end [autotag]Tyler Warren[/autotag] has made up his mind about his football future, and it is great news for the Nittany Lions. In a social media post on his Instagram account on Friday evening, Warren announced he will return to Penn State for the 2024 season, giving Penn State one of its steadiest passing options back in the mix next season.

“I’m thnakful for the memories and lessons learned alongside my teammates and coaches,” Warren said in his announcement post. “I’m excited to have the opportunity to play in the Peach Bowl in just a few short days with a team I love and respect.”

“We’ve done some great things as a family, but I do believe the best is yet to come,” Warren continued. “After much thought and consideration, I’ve decided to return to Penn State for the 2024 season.”

Warren caught a career-high 29 passes this season for 295 receiving yards and seven touchdowns, both career-best numbers as well.

Penn State will have both of its best tight ends for the Peach Bowl as Warren’s announcement followed a previous announcement by Theo Johnson confirming he will be entering the 2024 NFL draft. Johnson did say he will compete in the Peach Bowl when Penn State faces Ole Miss.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C1LN1PxMaNf/

Penn State faces Ole Miss in the Peach Bowl on Saturday, Dec. 30.

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Olu Fashanu named Big Ten offensive lineman of the year

The return of Olu Fashanu paid off for Penn State in 2023. Now he’s adding some hardware to his collection.

When offensive lineman [autotag]Olu Fashanu[/autotag] announced he would be returning for another year at Penn State, it was a bit of a shock. Expected to be a potential first-round draft pick had he declared for the 2023 NFL draft, Fashanu gambled on a return for one more season of college football before turning pro. It seems that gamble has been paying off quite nicely.

On Wednesday, the Big Ten announced Fashanu had been named the Rimington-Pace Offensive Lineman of the Year. He was also a consensus first-team All-Big Ten player according to Big Ten coaches and media.

Fashanu is the second Penn State player to win the Big Ten’s top offensive lineman award. [autotag]A.Q. Shipley[/autotag] received the award in 2008. Fashanu remains a clear first-round draft pick prospect, and he could be one of the earlier picks in the draft after his performance this season.

Here is a look at how the Big Ten coaches voted for the conference’s top players on the football field in 2023. Penn State was well-represented across the board this year.

All-Big Ten selections by Big Ten coaches

  • OT Olu Fashanu (first-team)
  • DE [autotag]Chop Robinson[/autotag] (first team)
  • LB [autotag]Abdul Carter[/autotag] (first team)
  • DE [autotag]Adisa Isaac[/autotag] (second team)
  • RB [autotag]Kaytron Allen[/autotag] (second team offense, honorable mention special teams)
  • DB [autotag]Kalen King[/autotag] (second team)
  • C [autotag]Hunter Nourzad[/autotag] (second team)
  • DL [autotag]Dani Dennis-Sutton[/autotag] (third team)
  • DB [autotag]Johnny Dixon[/autotag] (third team)
  • DB [autotag]Daequan Hardy[/autotag] (third team defense; second team special teams)
  • RB [autotag]Nick Singleton[/autotag] (third team)
  • TE [autotag]Tyler Warren[/autotag] (third team)
  • K [autotag]Alex Felkins[/autotag] (third team)
  • OL [autotag]Caedan Wallace[/autotag] (honorable mention)
  • OL [autotag]JB Nelson[/autotag] (honorable mention)
  • OL [autotag]Sal Wormley[/autotag] (honorable mention)
  • TE [autotag]Theo Johnson[/autotag] (honorable mention)
  • WR [autotag]KeAndre Lambert-Smith[/autotag] (honorable mention)
  • QB [autotag]Drew Allar[/autotag] (honorable mention)
  • P [autotag]Riley Thompson[/autotag] (honorable mention)

 

Penn State offense frustrated in 24-15 loss to Michigan

Penn State’s loss to Michigan all but eliminates the Nittany Lions from the Big Ten East Division.

After injecting a bit of positive energy in the offense a week ago in a blowout win at Maryland, Penn State’s offense was given a dose of reality on Saturday afternoon in a defensive battle with the Michigan Wolverines. If your offense can’t throw the football, you simply are not going to beat Michigan. Penn State lost to Micigan, 24-15, in front of the second-largest crowd in Beaver Stadium history and was effectively eliminated from contention for the Big Ten East Division championship.

Michigan played the game without head coach Jim Harbaugh able to attend the game. Harbaugh was suspended by the Big Ten for the remainder of the regular season for an alleged sign-stealing investigation tied to a former staffer. Despite a legal effort by the university, Harbaugh was unable to coach the game. But it ultimately did not matter as the Wolverines were too tough and too well-prepared for the matchup.

As for Penn State, the narrative of [autotag]James Franklin[/autotag] in big games once again took over with untimely penalties on special teams, a lack of any real offensive development against a good defense, and another loss to Michigan and a top-10 team going against him.

What was expected to be a strong defensive game lived up to the hype. Both Penn State’s and Michigan’s defense did their part, but Michigan’s was just slightly better. The Michigan running game took control of the football game in the second quarter after Penn State owned a 3-0 lead after the first quarter. Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards got some big and key runs in the second quarter to help dictate the game behind an offensive line bringing in extra linemen to create a push up front against Penn State’s defense. Corum and Edwards each rushed for a touchdown, essentially giving the Wolverines the win.

Michigan rushed for 227 yards and 3 touchdowns against the Nittany Lions. Corum rushed for 145 yards and 2 touchdowns, including a 44-yard touchdown run to pretty much put the game out of reach for good after a Penn State turnover on downs in the fourth quarter.

Penn State’s running back duo of [autotag]Kaytorn Allen[/autotag] (72 yards on 12 carries) and [autotag]Nick Singleton[/autotag] (43 yards on 13 carries) were each held out of the end zone by the Michigan defense. And the Penn State receivers combined for just 5 catches for a total of 29 yards. Tifght end [autotag]Tyler Warren[/autotag] had 2 catches for 25 yards and [autotag]Theo Johnson[/autotag] had 2 catches for 10 yards and a late touchdown.

Penn State’s defense did as much as it could against the strong Michigan offense, and it came up with some key stops in the fourth quarter to give the Nittany Lions chances. But Penn State’s lack of any offensive threats was the downfall for the home team, just as it was a few weeks back in Penn State’s only other loss at Ohio State.

[autotag]Drew Allar[/autotag] had just 51 passing yards midway through the fourth quarter, but he did have the team’s only touchdown of the game. Unfortunately, Allar also lost a fumble on the opening possession of the second half, with Penn State trailing 14-9 at the time. Michigan cashed in on the turnover after settling for a field goal, but not before running just over eight minutes off the game clock. Allar’s fumble was the only turnover of the game. He ended the game with just 70 passing yards

Penn State’s decision to go for a two-point conversion in the first half after a touchdown cut the Michigan lead to 14-9 ultimately came back to haunt a little bit late in the game. If Penn State had kicked the extra point at that time, Penn State’s late fourth-quart touchdown could have cut the Michigan lead to 7 with another extra point. Instead, Penn State was down by 9 points after failed two-point conversion attempts instead of a one-score game.

Penn State will look to close out the home schedule on a winning note next week when they host Rutgers. Kickoff on Saturday, Nov. 18 is set for 12:00 p.m. ET. The broadcast info for the game has not yet been confirmed.

Michigan will travel to Maryland for one final game before their big rivalry game against Ohio State at the end of the regular season. But for now, the focus will be on the status of Harbaugh.

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Best photos from Penn State’s road win at Maryland in Week 10

Check out some of the best photos available from Penn State’s dominant road win at Maryland.

Penn State head coach James Franklin had plenty of reasons to be smiling after Penn State’s dominant performance at Maryland in Week 10. In a season where Penn State has had most of its offensive struggles on the road, there was nothing to worry about in a 51-15 victory against the Terrapins. Penn State put 27 points on the scoreboard in the fourth quarter alone to run away with a win that helps keep Penn State firmly in the Big Ten East Division race with just three games remaining in the regular season.

[autotag]Drew Allar[/autotag] had four touchdowns, including a pair to transfer wide receiver [autotag]Dante Cephas[/autotag], and the defense brought Taulia Tagovailoa down for 6 sacks and caused multiple turnovers by one of the Big Ten’s top passing leaders. It was a terrific boost of confidence for Penn State as it now prepares for a massive game next week at home against Michigan.

But before that page can be turned, here is a look at some of the best photos from Penn State’s lopsided road win against Maryland.

Penn State obliterates UMass, 63-0, in final warmup before Ohio State

Penn State took care of UMass, as expected. Now it’s on to Ohio State.

A cold and dreary day in State College coupled with an expected blowout against an overmatched opponent meant this week’s game for Penn State lacked a certain energy. But [autotag]Daquan Hardy[/autotag] was ready to light a spark that catapulted Penn State to a 63-0 victory over UMass in its final tuneup before traveling to Ohio State next week. Hardy made school history, the defense continued to dominate its opponent, and Penn State’s offense chewed up yards on the ground in a solid showing despite less-than-pleasant weather conditions.

Hardy became the first player in Penn State history to score two touchdowns on punt returns. Hardy scored the game’s first touchdown with a 56-yard punt return in the first quarter. It was his first punt return for Penn State this season. But Hardy wasn’t done showing what he can do on punt duty. Hardy returned his second punt return for a touchdown with a 68-yard return in the third quarter, building Penn State’s lead to 49-0 at the time.

[autotag]Drew Allar[/autotag] completed 16-of-23 passes for 162 yards and 3 touchdowns in another interception-free outing as Penn State’s starting quarterback. Some passes missed the marks at times, but a slippery football could be part of the cause for that. Allar relied on his tight ends, [autotag]Theo Johnson[/autotag] and [autotag]Tyler Warren[/autotag], consistently in the game. Two of Alalr’s touchdowns were hauled in by Johnson, who also led all players with 66 receiving yards.

Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen continued to split the primary rushing duties. Singleton was featured on the first offensive series from Penn State and he ended his day with 79 rushing yards on 15 carries. Allen, who left Penn State’s last game against Northwestern, looked good as he rushed for 68 yards on 9 carries with a touchdown.

Penn State’s defense was once again in full control. Granted, UMass was not expected to be any threat on offense, but the Nittany Lions didn’t sleep on their opponent this week. UMass had just 61 yards of total offense midway through the fourth quarter. The Nittany Lions had 7 sacks in the game with [autotag]Adisa Isaac[/autotag] leading the team with 2.5 sacks and 3.5 tackles for loss.

Penn State’s defense also pitched its second shutout of the season, and second in a row at home in Beaver Stadium. Penn State blanked Iowa in its last home game, 31-0, in Week 4. Penn State has outscored its opponents at home 195-22. This is also the second time Penn State has scored 63 points in a game this season. Penn State also scored 63 points against Delaware in Week 2.

But now things are about to get much more challenging for Penn State.

Penn State will now prepare for the biggest game of the year coming up in Week 8. Penn State will put its undefeated record to the test next Saturday with a game at Ohio State. First place and a possible inside track to the division crown and a spot in the Big Ten championship game will be on the line. And, of course, the weight of College Football Playoff hopes will also be on the line in Columbus. Penn State has had its struggles against the Buckeyes over the course of the James Franklin era, but these Nittany Lions could be ready to change the outlook.

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Best photos from Penn State’s Week 3 win at Illinois

Best photos from Penn State’s Week 3 win at Illinois.

It sure looked like a beautiful mid-September afternoon for some college football in Week 3, and the Penn State defense looked absolutely stunning. Penn State improved to 3-0 in the 2023 college football season with a 30-13 victory at Illinois, the Big Ten opener for both schools. Penn State’s defense forced five turnovers in the win, and each one of them was as pretty as could be for those watching with blue and white glasses on.

Here are some of the best photos from Penn State’s third game of the season, its first road test of the season.

Penn State running back throws much-needed touchdown vs. Illinois

Penn State running back Trey Potts delivered on this trick play for a Penn State touchdown vs. Illinois.

This may not have been the reason why Penn State wanted to bring [autotag]Trey Potts[/autotag] into the program out of the transfer portal this past offseason, but they may be glad he did. With Penn State’s offense having some trouble establishing much of a rhythm in a defensive battle with Illinois, Potts delivered a halfback pass to tight end [autotag]Tyler Warren[/autotag] for a massive touchdown late in the third quarter.

Warren did a great job of catching the ball before stepping out of the end zone, even keeping both feet just inside the lines as he made the catch.

This appears to be the first career pass attempt by Potts, now in his fifth year of college football. Potts transferred to Penn State as a graduate transfer from Minnesota in the offseason. His first pass, and first touchdown pass, could not have come at a better time for Penn State.

The touchdown pass put Penn State up 23-7 as the Nittany Lions started to establish full control of the game. Nick Singleton rushed for a touchdown following an Illinois interception on the ensuing possession to put the Nittany Lions up 30-7 early in the fourth quarter.

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Report Card: Grading Penn State’s dominant Week 2 win vs. Delaware

Grading Penn State’s performance against Delaware in Week 2

There are some weeks in the course of a college football season where you can probably fill out the postgame report card ahead of time and not have to worry about it. Penn State’s Week 2 matchup against Delaware was one of those games where you hoped things would go as planned and you wouldn’t have to worry about too many issues against an FCS program.

And they did.

Penn State’s offense and defense each took care of business against the Blue Hens in the first all-time meeting between the two schools. Delaware may go on to have a solid season in the FCS championship hunt, but they were overmatched in every facet of the game against Penn State, which is also hoping to set the tone for what they hope will be a playoff push of their own this season.

It may have been a home game against an FCS program collecting a solid check, but Penn State did just about everything you would expect a top-10 team to do in this situation. Here are the grades for Penn State’s performance following its 63-7 victory over Delaware.

Quarterback

Matthew O’Haren-USA TODAY Sports

Grade: A

After being named the Big Ten offensive player of the week, [autotag]Drew Allar[/autotag] picked up right where he left off a week ago. The touchdown pass count was down but Allar completed 22 of 26 pass attempts for 204 yards with a touchdown pass (and a touchdown run) for a fine outing before getting an early rest in the second half.

Allar showed great vision and patience and just made smart throws that were taking advantage of the holes Delaware’s defense was giving him.

Backup quarterback Beau Pribula played for most of the second half in relief of Allar. Pribula attempted five attempts with three completions for 22 yards and a short touchdown in the fourth quarter. Pribula added to the ground attack with

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