Penn State has been campaigning — hard — for Tyler Warren to get national nods from the John Mackey Award, the Paul Hornung Award and maybe even the Heisman Trophy. One of those things came through Tuesday.
Warren was added as a finalist for the Mackey Award, given to the nation’s best tight end. He was honored alongside Michigan’s Colston Loveland and Bowling Green’s Harold Fannin Jr.
After debating entering the NFL Draft after last season, Warren sure seems to have made the right decision. He leads Penn State with 75 receptions for 910 yards and five touchdowns. He’s also rushed 18 times for 157 yards and four scores. Oh yeah, he’s also thrown a few passes, one for a touchdown, and punted against Minnesota.
The Virginia native holds Penn State single-season records for tight end receptions and receiving yards, while he holds the most receiving yards for a tight end in their career and is tied for the most receiving touchdowns by a tight end.
He made the game-clinching catch against Minnesota this weekend on a later fourth-and-1, a play in which he could’ve scored easily to break another record. But he went down to run the clock out, a show of his commitment to winning above all else.
“It’s the best thing to do in terms of managing that situation and winning the game and not having to kickoff again, ending on our terms,” James Franklin said Monday. “So just really, really cool play and not surprising that Tyler Warren is going to put the team first. I’m a big believer in that. The more you give to others and pour into others, it comes back to you ten times. Tyler Warren is a perfect example of that.”
Warren is also a Paul Hornung Award finalist for college football’s most versatile player.
Fannin has made a great case for the award himself, and Bowling Green has pushed as hard if not harder than Penn State to make it happen. Falcons strategic communications staff have been sending press releases about Fannin since Oct. 9. He has 92 receptions for 1,295 yards and nine touchdowns this season. Like Warren, Fannin has rushed some, too. He has six rushes for 51 yards and a score.
Loveland will probably be the odd man out in this race. He has 56 receptions for 582 yards and five touchdowns.
CARTER NAMED BEDNARIK AWARD FINALIST
Junior defensive end Abdul Carter is back on national awards lists.
Penn State’s star pass rusher was named a finalist for the Chuck Bednarik Award on Tuesday, given annually to the nation’s best defensive player and presented by the Maxwell Football Club. Carter was joined as a finalist by Colorado cornerback Travis Hunter and Ohio State safety Caleb Downs.
Carter, already a finalist for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy (defensive player of the year), has 48 total tackles, eight sacks, 17.5 tackles for loss and two forced fumbles this season. His 17.5 tackles for loss are third-best in the country and best in the Big Ten, while his eight sacks are tied for 20th in the country and fourth in the conference.
He’s made a significant impact in his first season since switching from linebacker to defensive end, earning Pro Football Focus’s 10th best defensive grade among edge rushers at 86.9. His pass-rushing grade is slightly better at 90.7, ranking fourth-best in the nation.
The Philadelphia native is also a semifinalist for the Lombardi Trophy (best lineman) and the Lott IMPACT Trophy.
Hunter is the betting favorite to win the Heisman this year, largely thanks to the fact that he plays both corner and wide receiver for the Buffaloes. He has 30 tackles, three interceptions, nine pass breakups and a forced fumble this season.
Downs has 50 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, a half of a sack and three pass breakups this season for the Buckeyes.
