James Franklin might have left the Nittany Lions, but he still refuses to let go of the long-established PSU roots. 10 years of being the head coach of a program will do that to him. Now leading Virginia Tech, he has once again used his connections to add a new name to his staff. Former Penn State co-OC Ty Howle joins as Hokies OC.

The HC’s Virginia Tech staff seems to be mirroring that of his Penn State days. He’s already reunited with Brent Pry, who comes back to Blacksburg after being fired as Hokies HC. Howle will complete the essential trio at VT, kicking off an exciting project for Virginia Tech. Here’s a look at Howle’s support system.

Who is Ty Howle?

Tyler Walker Howle was born on August 20, 1991. He is a native of Raleigh, North Carolina, and played high school football at Bunn High. Ty Howle was a prolific athlete during his high school days. He played center for Bunn High and eventually grew to be tabbed as the 11th-best center in the state during his recruitment. Howle is a 2-time, first-team all-state and all-conference honoree and also used to dabble in shot put and discus throw.

He is a former Nittany Lion, playing in blue and white as an OL from 2019 to 2013. Howle earned some prestigious honors during his playing career. He won the Frank Patrick Tota Commitment Award in 2011 and the 2013 Red Worrell Award. The former Lion is also a 3-time All-Big 10 honoree. He played in 35 games during his time at Penn State.

Top Stories

NFL Openly Admits Robbing Ravens Against Steelers as John Harbaugh Drops Update on Travis Jones Penalty

Lane Kiffin to Poach Ole Miss QB & Replace Garrett Nussmeier – Report

Max Homa Comes Clean on Past Tensions With Justin Thomas: ‘Hated Each Other’

J. J. Watt Confirms Stance on Controversial R. J. Mickens Incident in Chargers vs Eagles

NASCAR Champ’s Desperate Plea Got Rejected as Snowball Derby Official’s Bizarre Confession Sparks Outrage

‘NASCAR on Sale’: Team Owners Interested to Buy Out France Family With $5B Price Tag

He made his name in the Happy Valley as part of James Franklin’s staff at Penn State, where he served as the co-OC and TE coach. Before his return to Penn State, Howle spent four seasons on the coaching staff at Western Illinois, and before that, two years at North Carolina State as a graduate assistant with the offensive line.

Ty Howle’s family: Meet his wife and children

Ty Howle is married to Karen Howle, a UNC-Charlotte graduate. The couple tied the knot in 2016. Not much is known about her, but Karen is an ardent supporter of Penn State football. They have known each other for a long time and were together during Ty’s playing career at Penn State. Ty and Karen are parents to twin boys, Walker and Blake. The couple welcomed them in 2019, a year before Ty joined the Penn State staff.

Every year, Ty religiously posts about his partner and continues to celebrate her. Earlier this year, he gave credit to his wife in his latest Instagram post. “Happy Mother’s Day to @karenbhowle Thankful for her being the mother of our boys Walker and Blake! She is our rock! Thankful for all you do, We Love you!”

Who are Ty Howle’s parents and siblings?

Ty’s parents are David and Jane Howle. Football runs in the family, as David was the longtime football coach for Bunn High School in North Carolina. He spent 29 years on the job, retiring in 2010 to attend Ty’s games at Penn State. However, he resumed the position in 2010 and still managed to watch his son play. He formally hung up his coaching whistle in 2016, by which time he was coaching the kids of his former players.

When he finally retired, he had won more than 200 games at the high school level. In 2022, David was inducted as an honorary member of the NC Coaches Association. Wanting to continue in his father’s footsteps, Ty Howle had the dream to start coaching. But before he completed his degree in kinesiology as a promise to his mother.

“I wanted to be a coach,” he said. “I kind of grew up with (that) in my bloodline. My dad’s a high school coach. I went to college, and promised my mom I’d get a degree in something where I couldn’t JUST be a coach. And I did that, and told her I still want to be one, so she was OK with it.”

Ty Howle has a younger sister, Abby. Unfortunately, not much is known about her.

A look at Ty Howle’s career history

Ty Howle has spent more than a decade as a college football coach. He joined NC State as a GA, worked on film breakdown, defensive scout team preparation, and recruiting. Howle worked with the O-Line and improved the TFL count from 102 in 2013 to 59 in 2014. He then spent 4 seasons at Western Illinois, where he worked under former Penn State QB coach, Charlie Fisher.

Howle made the jump to OC very quickly in his career, earning the spot in 2018 with WIU. That year, he built an offense that ranked 21st in the country in passing offense. Ty Howle came to Penn State in 2020 as an analyst, hoping that he’d find a full-time position someday. James Franklin put him to work in the next season itself, naming him the Lions’ TE coach.

Ty Howle has shaped the TE room at Happy Valley into a stand-out unit. He was behind the development of Tyler Warren, who went as the 5th overall pick in the 2025 draft. In 2024, when PSU’s receiving corps underperformed, Howle’s TEs stepped up. Warren, in particular, emerged as the top catcher for the team, being the only PSU player to record 100 catches that season. In 2023, TEs Khalil Dinkins, Theo Johnson, and Warren combined 16 receiving TDs, the most produced by a TE room in the country. Howle was promoted to co-OC in 2023.

What is Ty Howle’s contract and salary?

Ty Howle’s contract and salary details have not been made public by PSU. Per state law, the school chooses not to reveal the salaries of the assistant coaches and the top strength and conditioning coach

Ty Howle will be part of an interesting gig at Blacksburg, reunited with James Franklin. But the Virginia Tech job will also be a challenge for him, since the HC has to build the program from the ground up. Virginia Tech is averaging 348.8 offensive yards per game and is ranked 99th in the country in total offense. On the flip side, Franklin is also recruiting some intriguing players at Blacksburg, which should provide Howle with something strong to work on.