Virginia Tech has gained one of the nation’s premier tight end developers and a proven offensive strategist with the addition of Ty Howle, who will be joining James Franklin in Blacksburg as the new offensive coordinator of the Hokies, as Pete Thamel reported.

Howle, Penn State’s co‑offensive coordinator and tight ends coach, has spent the past several seasons building the Nittany Lions’ tight end room into one of the most productive and decorated units in college football. Now, he will join James Franklin at Virginia Tech.

In 2024, Howle was named Football Scoop’s National Tight Ends Coach of the Year. That honor came after guiding Tyler Warren to the John Mackey Award, the first in Penn State history. Warren also earned first‑team All‑America honors, Big Ten Tight End of the Year, and shattered both program and conference records. His 104 receptions and 1,233 yards set new single‑season marks for Big Ten tight ends, while his career totals of 153 catches, 1,839 yards, and 25 touchdowns were school records. 

In 2023, Penn State’s tight ends combined for 16 receiving touchdowns, the most in the nation. Theo Johnson went on to be drafted by the New York Giants, while Brenton Strange, another Howle pupil, was selected in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars. 

As an offensive analyst in 2020, he worked with the offensive line and tight ends, helping Pat Freiermuth earn Big Ten Tight End of the Year and guiding four linemen to All‑Big Ten honors.

Prior to Penn State, his earlier coaching stops included Western Illinois, where he served as offensive line coach, assistant head coach, and co‑offensive coordinator. There, he helped the Leathernecks rank 21st nationally in passing in 2018 and reach the FCS Playoffs in 2017.

At NC State, he worked with the offensive line as a graduate assistant, helping develop future NFL draft picks such as Garrett Bradbury and Joe Thuney. 

A former Penn State captain himself, Howle played in 47 career games with 13 starts from 2009–13 for the Nittany Lions, earning four Academic All‑Big Ten honors and the Maginnis Memorial Award as the program’s top senior offensive lineman.Â