Penn State hires former lineman Ty Howle as tight ends coach; Big Ten shuffles 2021 football schedule

Penn State head coach James Franklin announced Friday the hiring of Ty Howle, a former Nittany Lions offensive lineman, as tight ends coach.

Howle succeeds Tyler Bowen, who has taken a job on the coaching staff of the Jacksonville Jaguars under new head coach Urban Meyer. Bowen had been Penn State’s tight ends coach and offensive recruiting coordinator for the past three seasons.

In a statement, Franklin said wide receivers coach Taylor Stubblefield will add offensive recruiting coordinator to his duties, taking over Bowen’s role. He also gave cornerbacks coach Terry Smith the additional title of associate head coach.

Franklin thanked Bowen for his contributions to the program and added, “Today is bittersweet because we are not only losing a great coach, but more importantly a better man. … We are excited for Tyler to advance his career in the NFL.”

The Jaguars officially have not announced Bowen’s hiring or his job title. News of his move was first reported earlier this week by Lions247.

Howle spent the 2020 season as an offensive analyst at Penn State. During his playing career from 2009 through 2013, he played in 47 games, starting 13 at center and left guard, and won four letters.

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“I want to thank coach Franklin for giving me this opportunity to develop the tremendous young men in this program,” Howle said. “Penn State University means the world to my family and me. The pride I have for the university, this team, my lettermen brothers and the greatest fans in the world is unrivaled.”

Before returning to Penn State in 2020, Howle spent four seasons as an assistant coach at Western Illinois, coaching the offensive line in 2016 and 2017 and then becoming assistant head coach and co-offensive coordinator his final two years. Howle spent the 2013 and 2014 seasons at North Carolina State as a graduate assistant with the offensive line.

“I have known Ty since I first started at Penn State when he worked with our recruiting department,” Franklin said. “Since then I followed his career and watched him grow into an impressive coach and a tremendous leader of young men.”

The Big Ten announced a revised football schedule for the 2021 season. All of Penn State’s opponents remain the same but some dates have been changed.

The Nittany Lions’ first four games are the same: Sept. 4 at Wisconsin, and home games Sept. 11 versus Ball State, Sept. 18 against Auburn, and Sept. 25 taking on Villanova.

Indiana has moved into the Lions’ originally scheduled bye slot on Oct. 2 at Beaver Stadium, followed by an Oct. 9 matchup at Iowa.

Following a bye week on Oct. 16, the Nittany Lions’ second-half schedule is Oct. 23 vs. Illinois, Oct. 30 at Ohio State, Nov. 6 at Maryland, Nov. 13 vs. Michigan, Nov. 20 vs. Rutgers and Nov. 27 at Michigan State.

The Big Ten said it updated the schedule “in order to accommodate six games that adjusted locations as a result of changes made during the 2020 scheduling process.” None of those games involved Penn State.

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Holden Staes, a four-star tight end from Atlanta who committed to Penn State’s 2022 freshman class last August, said on Twitter he has de-committed and reopened his recruitment.