The Mackey Award has released its eight semifinalists for the 2024 season and a pair of Big Ten playmakers have been named. The Mackey Award has been around since 2000 and, based on the current makeup of the conference, seven awards have gone to Big Ten players.
Each year, the John Mackey Award Selection Committee recognizes the top tight end in college football. While Iowa is one of four schools with multiple winners, the Hawkeyes were left off this list despite having one of 10 on the initial watchlist.
The winner will be announced on December 12.
Two Big Ten Tight Ends Are Mackey Award Semifinalists
Tyler Warren, Penn State
As our Jason Krom asked back in October, “Is Penn State Tight End U?” With yet another top-end tight end in Tyler Warren, the Nittany Lions certainly have a case.
As a fifth-year player, Warren has turned into a do-it-all tight end. He broke out last year with 422 receiving yards and seven touchdowns off 34 receptions. Warren is on his way to a fourth consecutive season with at least 12 appearances this year.
Through eight games this year, Warren has done it all. He has 606 yards and four touchdowns off 51 catches as a receiver. Additionally, Penn State has had him run the ball 10 times for 87 yards and a touchdown. He’s 2/2 with 26 yards and a touchdown throwing the ball for good measure.
A lot of his productivity ( 370 yards) came in his two massive games. In the win over Bowling Green, he logged eight catches for 146 yards. Then, against USC, he caught 17 passes for 224 yards and a touchdown, setting the program record. Warren has one other 100-yard performance as a receiver which came in last year’s Peach Bowl loss to Ole Miss.
Colston Loveland, Michigan
Quite possibly the preseason favorite for the Mackey Award, Michigan’s lone receiving threat has been Colston Loveland this year.
From the jump, Loveland has been a playmaker. In splitting time with Erick All in 2022, Loveland amassed 235 yards and two scores off 16 catches in 14 games. He then took over as the number-one tight-end option last year. In 15 games, he accounted for 649 yards and four touchdowns off 45 catches.
This year, in seven fewer games, Loveland has either set new career marks or is just about to do so. He has 523 yards and four touchdowns off 49 receptions with at least four games to go.
Michigan has been an under-the-radar tight-end school. It’s continuing with Loveland as the leading receiver for the offense. Given, the Wolverines’ passing attack is the seventh-worst in the nation. Michigan’s passing offense is statistically worse than Navy and Kent State, if that puts it into perspective. He has 28 more receptions, 389 yards, and two touchdowns more than the next receivers in the offense.
Regardless, Loveland is a bonafide, NFL-bound tight end, just like Warren.
The Six Other Semifinalists
- Harold Fannin Jr. Bowling Green
- Mitchell Evans, Notre Dame
- Mason Taylor, LSU
- Tanner Koziol, Ball State
- Gunnar Helm, Texas
- Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt
