The new Virginia Tech HC James Franklin has raided his former team once again. This time, Penn State’s tight end coach and co-offensive coordinator, Ty Howle, will join his former boss in Blacksburg. So, PSU’s hopes for a comeback under new head coach Matt Campbell are already under threat. The scrutiny is tightened further as the program alumnus has already sent a warning.

Franklin quickly found his next opportunity at Virginia Tech, where he plans to build his legacy. His move also opened the door for coach Ty Howle to join the Hokies, who pose a serious challenge for Penn State’s recruiting efforts. His strong relationships with local coaches in the DMV region helped the program secure several key prospects over the years. With his departure, former Penn State offensive lineman and current CFB analyst Landon Tengwall believes the $70.5 million head coach must quickly find a replacement.

“With the loss of Ty Howle, Matt Campbell has to make sure he has an assistant coach with heavy ties to the DMV (DC, Maryland, Virginia).” Tengwall shared his ultimatum in a post on X. “Howle was elite at recruiting in the DMV, and that’s where a lot of PSU’s roster reigns from.”

Tengwall’s urgency comes from two reasons. First, the DMV region is close to Penn State, making it easy for the coaching staff to scout prospects, visit schools, and build relationships with players, families, and coaches. The area consistently produces top-tier talent across multiple positions.

Penn State has long benefited from that pipeline, landing stars such as Saquon Barkley and Micah Parsons. Ty Howle played a major role in maintaining that connection, especially with his ability to recruit and develop tight ends from the region. He also helped produce talents like Pat Friermuth, Brenton Strange, and Theo Johnson. Plus, he also brought in names like Luke Reynolds, Andrew Rappleyea, Tyler Warren, and others.

Second, with Howle now joining James Franklin at Virginia Tech, there is a strong chance the Hokies will target the same DMV talent pool. Howle’s established reputation, combined with a fresh program vision and the momentum of a rebuild, could allow him to leverage his Penn State ties and pull prospects away from the Nittany Lions and toward Virginia Tech.

He continued to develop one of the top tight end rooms in the nation by bringing in current Lions Andrew Rappleyea, former five-star recruit Luke Reynolds, and former top-50 national prospect Andrew Olesh. As the Nittany Lions enter a rebuilding phase, they need every advantage they can get. With the head-coaching situation finally settled with Matt Campbell’s hiring, PSU’s next priority is addressing the recruiting front, beginning with finding a replacement for Ty Howle.

James Franklin poaches yet another one from Penn State

It has been only three weeks since James Franklin took over at Virginia Tech, but the former Penn State head coach has already hit the ground running in Blacksburg. He has brought several familiar faces with him, including former Penn State general manager of personnel and recruiting Andy Frank and chief of staff Kevin Threlkel, giving the Hokies immediate stability and experience in key off-field positions.

Franklin has also delivered an early blow to Penn State on the recruiting front by landing four-star offensive lineman Marlen Bright, a former Nittany Lions commit. The setback may grow larger, as Franklin is now pursuing three more four-star prospects: offensive lineman Benjamin Ezeika, linebacker Mathieu Lamah, and safety Matt Sieg.

Thus, Ty Howle became the first of multiple expected position coaches to follow Franklin to Virginia Tech. With this, Franklin’s push into Penn State’s recruiting territory shows no signs of slowing down.

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