Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1530530
1 8 J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 5 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M It would be difficult to overstate the impact that Ty Howle's tight end corps has played in Penn State's success this year. Howle, who is in his fifth season on staff at his alma mater and fourth season as tight ends coach, has helped develop senior Tyler Warren into a player worthy of Heisman Trophy consideration. In ad- dition, redshirt junior Khalil Dinkins has maintained his upward trajectory, true freshman Luke Reynolds has made an im- pactful debut, including a crucial 32-yard run on a fake punt against Minnesota, and redshirt freshman Joey Schlaffer contin- ued his maturation into a potential con- tributor next year and beyond. With Warren leading the way, Penn State's tight ends have accounted for 105 of the team's 253 catches, 1,238 of its 3,204 receiving yards and 9 of its 27 re- ceiving touchdowns. Howle recently sat down with Penn State beat reporters to discuss his players' contributions this year. QUESTION: When Andy Kotelnicki came aboard as the new coordinator and you began putting the pieces together for this offense, did you imagine Tyler War- ren having the expansive role that he's had? HOWLE: "I did imagine him having a huge role in this offense, just looking at the things Coach K had done in his past and how he used guys throughout his time at Kansas and Buffalo. "I did think Tyler could be a guy who was used in a ton of different ways, be- cause we've done that here at Penn State before. I think his first collegiate touch- down was him playing wildcat quar- terback, so we knew he could do those things. I don't think a lot of people could have predicted the extent. But you knew coming in that Coach K is a guy who wants to use his best players in a variety of ways, and you knew Tyler would be one of those weapons." QUESTION: Were you involved in Ty- ler's recruitment? And if so, what were your expectations for him coming in? HOWLE: "I was hired as an analyst in 2020, and that was his signing class. I wasn't directly involved in recruiting him, but I saw him when he first got here. I remember watching what he did in high school. He was playing quarterback, and there was basketball tape. I was just thinking this guy is a very versatile player. "I thought, from early on, he had the skill set to really be developed into an all- around tight end. Just the way he catches the ball, his toughness, how he carries himself, his humility. "You saw a lot of those physical and mental traits. He's a high football IQ guy. He's a really quick learner. You can tell him something, and he can go out and do it. It doesn't take a lot of reps for him to understand something, and you saw that early on. Even though he hadn't played the tight end position for a long time, he picked it up quickly." QUESTION: How far has Luke Reyn- olds come as a true freshman with the game time that he's received this year? HOWLE: "The first thing that sticks out about Luke is that he had the advan- tage of coming in early and having the spring to really build a good foundation. … Our strength coaches are unbelievable. He went from 212 pounds to around 250. "Obviously, a lot of confidence comes from physical development. I think he's gotten better and better each week. He's a sponge. One of the best things that's happened for him is being around a guy like Tyler Warren, where he can see and model after him — how he handles things on and off the field, how he prepares, how he studies, his habits in the weight room, how he eats. Luke has got a really bright future ahead of him." QUESTION: What is your message to a guy like Joey Schlaffer when you have a Tyler Warren, a Khalil Dinkins and a Luke Reynolds ahead of him? And how has he progressed this year? HOWLE: "Everybody's journey is dif- ferent. He's progressing in the run game. He's getting bigger and stronger, and he's a really sharp player. He's smart. That's been a big thing that he's improved upon. I tell him, 'It's all about the process and the work to get better. There's no easy road in that journey.' "He's making great strides, and I love watching him get better in practice. That's what it's all about for me, seeing guys improve. I've watched Khalil Dinkins through the years and Tyler Warren and Brenton Strange. There's a satisfaction when guys improve and get to where they can help your team. Joey is on his journey, and he's doing a good job improving." ■ Sitting Down With Tight Ends Coach Ty Howle Since taking charge of Penn State's tight ends in 2021, Howle has had two of his players — Brenton Strange and Theo Johnson — drafted into the NFL. Next April, Tyler Warren will become the third. PHOTO BY RYAN SNYDER