Breaking Down Penn State’s Use of Tyler Warren vs USC

As I watched Penn State take on USC, a couple of things really stood out about the Nittany Lions' offense. First, they dialed up some perfectly-timed trick plays that hit big. Second, they made great use of #44, Tyler Warren, moving him all over the field. Warren was everywhere—lining up at receiver, tight end, wing, fullback, quarterback, and even as an eligible center. Penn State clearly had a plan to get him involved in critical moments, whether it was to make key blocks or create mismatches. In this article, we’ll break down how Penn State used Warren in pivotal spots during their win over USC.

Early in the game, Penn State wasted no time getting creative. They lined up in an empty set with trips to the boundary. Tyler Warren, wearing #44, was positioned in the #2 spot. The Nittany Lions went with a "now" screen to Warren, picking up a quick gain and setting the tone for how they'd use him throughout the game.

On the very next play, Penn State shifts to a trips bunch formation to the field. This time, Warren is lined up on the outside of the bunch. They throw a slant to him, and he secures the first down.

With everything else working, why not get a little more creative? Penn State motions Warren under center and lets him run a quarterback sneak. Simple—and effective. It works perfectly.

Later in the first quarter, Penn State lines up in an exotic formation and dials up a creative tight end screen to Warren. Using jet sweep play-action to set it up, they hit Warren in the middle of the field for another well-executed gain.

Next, Penn State aligns Warren in a flexed tight end spot and runs a delayed screen to him for a huge gain. This play mirrors the "newer" half-roll throwback screens we’ve seen recently from Texas, catching the defense off guard and creating big yardage.

Later in the drive, Penn State looks to get Warren involved on three straight goal-line pass attempts. First, they run an arrow route from the fullback spot, but the quarterback hesitates to pull the trigger. On the second attempt, Warren runs the same arrow route, this time coming across the formation from a flexed tight end spot. Finally, on the third play, Warren lines up as the outside receiver, motions into a bunch, and catches a slant for what appears to be a touchdown—only to have it called back for offensive pass interference. Despite the penalty, all three plays showcased Warren in different roles, highlighting his versatility in the offense.

Remember that sneak Warren ran earlier? This time, he lines up at quarterback in the shotgun and throws a quick pass to the running back in the flat, picking up a first down on 2nd & 2. It’s another clever design—GT Counter is blocked up front, drawing the linebackers in, while Warren calmly drops the ball into the flat for an easy gain.

Penn State’s biggest play of the day came in the 3rd quarter from yet another exotic formation. Warren lined up at quarterback initially, but after a shift, he moved to the center spot while staying eligible. They tossed the ball to the quarterback, now outside the hash, who then threw it back to Warren streaking up the seam for a touchdown. By this point, Warren had taken reps at eight different positions on the field.

After all the wild formations and alignments, Penn State simplifies things, lining Warren up as a flexed tight end. On this play, he runs a wheel route, picking up a big gain on the pass.

At first glance, this play seems simple with Warren working from the flexed tight end spot into the flat, but then you notice the big man in motion. Throughout the game, Penn State placed an offensive lineman at a receiver spot, motioning him in to kick out or seal the defensive end—and this is one of those times. For the record, it’s pretty hilarious to see #71 in motion outside the tackle box.

Another wheel route for Warren, but this time it's off a "stalk and go" as Penn State sells the swing screen to the running back. The deception works, and it’s another well-executed play that gets Warren wide open downfield.

Now, Warren lines up in the backfield and becomes the target on a version of mesh traffic—a concept that's gained popularity in recent years. It’s yet another way Penn State creatively gets him involved.

For his final touch of the day, Warren lines up once more as a flexed tight end. Penn State runs a shovel pass to him—yet another creative way to get the ball in his hands for an easy gain.

Conclusion

Penn State’s new offensive coordinator, Andy Kotelnicki, put on a clinic in how to move a key player around for easy touches and big plays. His ability to get Warren open downfield and into space for significant gains should catch the eye of offensive coordinators everywhere. By using Warren in eight different spots throughout the game, Kotelnicki not only maximized his impact but also made it difficult for USC to scheme against him. Typically, defenses will try to bracket or double-team a player who lines up in the same spot consistently—like the single receiver into the boundary—but by constantly shifting Warren, Penn State minimized that threat. Offensive coordinators should keep watching PSU this season for more creative ways to scheme your best player into easy touches.