Huskies Will Have Their Hands Full Trying to Stop Tyler Warren

This Penn State player is a tight end who does so much more than that.

Penn State wide receiver Harrison Wallace III (6) celebrates with tight end Tyler Warren (44) after catching a touchdown pass. / Ben Queen-Imagn Images

One hundred thousand people crammed into Beaver Stadium on Saturday night won't be the most eye-opening sight for University of Washington football players when they take on sixth-ranked Penn State.

One man will make them stare and swallow hard.

This would be Tyler Warren. Towering Tyler. Talented Tyler. Terrific Tyler. He puts the Nittany in the Nittany Lions.

"He's a fantastic player," Husky coach Jedd Fisch said. "He's everywhere."

Penn State offensive lineman Anthony Donkoh (68), tight end Tyler Warren (44) and defensive tackle Dvon J-Thomas (91) celebrate beating USC. / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Warren officially lists as a tight end -- and he's a semifinalist for the Mackey Award given to the nation's top player at that position -- but he takes direct snaps out of the Wildcat formation, snaps the ball, runs it, passes it, works the concession stands and sweeps up after.

Warren, who's played in 48 games and started 23, is a senior from Mechanicsville, Virginia, obviously is somebody created by a a bunch of mad scientists in a secret lab someplace in the Appalachians, which count Mount Nittany as part of the chain.

“I’ve been talking about him being the best tight end in college football, but the reality is he’s now part of a conversation of one of the best players in all of college football,” Penn State coach James Franklin said.

Warren stands 6-foot-6 and weighs 261 pounds, which presents a lot of problems for opposing teams. None have been more victimized by this guy than USC.

In a 33-30 overtime victory over the Trojans, Warren caught 17 passes. That's a season total for a lot of FBS tight ends. He did it effortlessly on a singular visit to Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

"He's really almost impossible to cover because of his size," Fisch said. " He's just such a special player in that regard."

Entering Saturday's game, Warren has caught 51 passes for 4 touchdowns this season, giving him 100 receptions for 1,212 yards and 15 scores in his career. He embraces that role as much as any.

"Being able to play tight end at Penn State is a really cool thing to do, that not many people get to do, and I take a lot of pride in that," Warren said this week.

Oh, but there's so much more to this guy than coming out of a stance at tight end.

"I appreciate his willingness to want to be creative," Penn State offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki said.

Penn State's Tyler Warren (44) prepares to throw a 17-yard touchdown pass against Kent State. / Dan Rainville / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

This season, Warren has run the ball 16 times for 93 yards. A lefty, he's passed it twice and hit on both of them for 26 yards and a score.

"We're going to have to find him," Fisch said. "We're going to have an eye on him. We're going to have to know that he's always going to make some plays."

If the Huskies somehow forget, Warren will remind them, multiple times over.

For the latest UW football and basketball news, go to si.com/college/washington