J’ven Williams was a five-star prospect and the crown jewel of Penn State’s 2023 recruiting class, one of four offensive linemen to join the Nittany Lions that year.
Williams has played in every game this season as a reserve and on special teams. He’s received work at four positions, according to classmate Anthony Donkoh.
“Right now we’re trying to let him play all over the place during practice,” Donkoh said Wednesday. “He’s playing right tackle, left tackle, right guard, left guard. We’re trying to get him to be as versatile as possible. He’s embracing it and he’s doing a pretty good job at it.”
The 6-5, 310-pound Williams was initially projected as a tackle by the Penn State coaches. He has seen time in games at left tackle behind Drew Shelton. He played guard at Wyomissing, where he helped lead the Spartans to three straight District 3 Class 3A titles and a PIAA runner-up finish in 2021.
“He keeps asking me, Drew and Nolan (Rucci) questions about tackle,” Donkoh said. “He keeps asking Vega (Ioane), Sal (Wormley) and JB (Nelson) questions about guard. He’s trying to be as much of a help as he can for us so he’s able to get his opportunity on the field soon.”
The 6-5, 330-pound Donkoh was the lowest-rated offensive lineman in Penn State’s 2023 recruiting, but he has started every game at right tackle this season.
Warren makes list: Penn State senior tight end Tyler Warren was named Wednesday to the watch list for the Biletnikoff Award, presented to the nation’s top receiver at any position.
In the Lions’ last game, Warren caught a school-record 17 passes for 224 yards and one touchdown in a 33-30 overtime win over USC. He tied the FBS record for catches in a game set by New Mexico’s Emilio Vallez in 1967 and matched by Northwestern’s Jon Harvey in 1982.
Warren leads Penn State with 40 receptions for 513 yards and four touchdowns. Among tight ends, he ranks second nationally in receiving yards and receiving yards per game, third in receptions and 100-yard receiving games, fourth in touchdown catches and fifth in yards per reception (12.8).
He has 15 career touchdown catches, tied for second among Penn State tight ends with Mike Gesicki and trailing only Pat Freiermuth, who had 16 from 2018-20. He’s third in career receptions (89) and fifth in receiving yards (1,119).
The Biletnikoff Award will announce its semifinalists on Nov. 18 and its finalists on Nov. 26. The winner will be announced on the College Football Awards Show Dec. 12 on ESPN.
Vanderlinden honored: Former Penn State co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Ron Vanderlinden has been selected as the recipient of the 2024 AFCA Outstanding Achievement Award.
The American Football Coaches Association created the award to recognize past and present AFCA members who have achieved outstanding success coaching football.
Vanderlinden also was an assistant coach at Bowling Green, Michigan, Ball State, Colorado, Northwestern and Air Force. He was the head coach at Maryland from 1997-2000.
At Penn State from 2001-13, he helped produce such All-American linebackers as Paul Posluszny, Dan Connor and Michael Mauti and others such as Sean Lee, NaVorro Bowman and Tim Shaw.
