Against USC, Tyler Warren led Penn State football in receiving yards. Against Ohio State, Warren led the team in rushing yards. Against Purdue, Warren did both.

The tight end was targeted on the first play from scrimmage Saturday afternoon in West Lafayette, Indiana, and took the pass for a first down. Two rushes later, Drew Allar again looked to Warren as the Nittany Lions took the ball into Purdue territory.

That wasn’t all Warren did, though. After a contested touchdown catch on the game’s second drive, Warren continued to impact both the run and pass games.

On the first drive of the second half, Warren lined up as the quarterback and took a direct snap. Warren bounced to his left, found blockers, and went 48 yards to the end zone for a score.

“I didn’t get touched and I was running the ball, so that’s usually a good sign from the blocking team,” Warren said. “They blocked it up really well and it worked out. It was awesome.”

The tight end has been a topic of conversation after nearly every game this season as he’s lined up at center, quarterback, wide receiver, and tight end at different points of the season.

The Mechanicsville, Virginia, native has also set multiple program and conference records and has been a focal point of the offense. Warren finished the 49-10 win over Purdue with three carries for 63 yards and a touchdown while also hauling in all eight of his targets for 127 receiving yards and another score. That touchdown tied Pat Freiermuth’s record for most receiving touchdowns by a tight end in program history.

“Warren continues to make plays in a ton of different ways,” James Franklin said before reciting what’s become a familiar phrase as of late: “I think he’s part of the conversation as one of the best players in all of college football, let alone the tight end position.”

The numbers have almost become expected of Warren, with teams unable to stop him even as his notoriety as a player grows. After the Purdue game, Franklin expanded on his normal sentiment. For a coach who tries to limit all outside influences, his endorsement stood out.

“I think Tyler Warren should be a part of all the conversations that deal with the best football player in college football,” Franklin said. “That’s all types of awards, and that includes the Heisman.”

During his breakout season this year, Warren has maintained that his level of play couldn’t happen without the support he gets on the field. He once again lined up in a number of spots and had near-constant success against the 1-9 Boilermakers.

Warren has become a consistent target for Drew Allar and one that produces results. Allar echoes his coach’s sentiments about the awards Warren should win but said his work ethic is what sets the tight end apart.

“He doesn’t like being in the spotlight a lot, but he’s going to do whatever it is to put the team in a position to win,” Allar said. “I don’t think you’ve seen our tight end have an overall impact on offense that he’s had this year. It’s a really special year he’s having.”

While all of his teammates sang his praises after yet another big game, Warren stayed humble. According to him, the big touchdown run wasn’t because of his talent, but the blocking around him.

While Franklin said he knew that his tight end would have success in the new system, he admitted that he didn’t predict Warren would operate at this high a level. But for Warren, recognition or not, it’s business as normal.

“It’s nice to get recognized,” Warren said. “I think it really speaks to the fact that without the guys around me, that stuff doesn’t really happen anyway, so it’s not the most important thing on my agenda.”