Penn State Q&A: Ty Howle talks Luke Reynolds; emergence, Tyler Warren's Heisman candidacy, more

To the surprise of no one, much of Penn State co-offensive coordinator and tight ends coach Ty Howle’s time on a Thursday conference call with reporters focused on his star pupil. And, that’s with good reason, of course. The college football world is buzzing about senior Tyler Warren as he continues to take his game, and the Nittany Lions, to new heights week in and week out. We’ll cover some of that below. Before that, though, we’ll cover a player who hopes to one day emulate his success: Freshman Luke Reynolds.

The former four-star recruit who enrolled in classes last winter has always had the look of an instant impact contributor. He has burned his redshirt, started a few games, and played plenty. However, he is not having the kind of immediate success other first-year contributors across the sport have, namely because of Warren. With that said, his initial season in blue and white has been a success. Playing both offense and special teams, he has set a terrific foundation for the years ahead. And, after catching his first touchdown in last weekend’s win over Purdue, it continues to be clear that the sky is the limit for him moving forward.

More: Roadmapping Penn State’s 2025 redshirt freshmen

“The first thing that sticks out about Luke is he had the advantage of coming in early and really building a good foundation,” Howle said. “That foundation was not only in football, but our strength coaches are unbelievable. Guy went from 212 [pounds] to 250, 248 this week. A lot of confidence comes from physical development. I think he’s gotten better and better and better each week. He’s a sponge. Being around a guy like Tyler, he can see and model after him, from how he handles things, how he prepares, how he studies, his habits, how he eats.

“I think Luke’s got a really bright future. He’s a guy, and this is a lot easier for young players to get better and better, from the standpoint of, they don’t know as much. You’ve seen exponential growth in his ability to retain information. I’m excited for his future.”

Penn State Q&A with Ty Howle

Blue-White Illustrated subscribers can read the full Q&A here. You can find some select highlights from the call below.

On imaging Warren’s starring role earlier this year

“So, I did imagine him having a huge role in this offense just looking at the things Coach K has done in his past with the multiplicity of personnel and how he used guys at Kansas and Buffalo, I did think Tyler has been a guy who could be used in a ton of different ways,” Howle said. “We’ve done that here before. We knew he could do those things.

“To the extent, I don’t think a lot of people could predict, but coming in, you knew Coach K wanted to use his best players in a variety of ways, and you knew Tyler would be one of those weapons. It was, let’s coach him up, build those skills, and allow him to be utilized in those ways in the fall. To this extent, I don’t think anyone could predict that, but being used like this? I think a lot of people knew he could be used this way in this offense.”

Should Warren be a Heisman candidate?

“Absolutely,” Howle said. “The thing that makes him special is all the ways he can affect a game. He can catch it for a lot of yards, make explosive plays, break tackles. This offseason, looking at areas to improve, was run after the catch. Not just speed, but using his off-arm and breaking tackles. That’s been a big piece of his success in the receiving and the rushing game. I think his skill set is definitely what makes him one of the best players in the country and be able to affect our team in a lot of different ways. It just speaks to his level of football IQ.

“Obviously for the Heisman, you want the best football players in the country, and I think he’s one of the best.”

How has Penn State redshirt freshman tight end Joey Schlaffer progressed?

“I think one of the things that I don’t even have to tell him, but Tyler again, everyone’s journey’s different,” Howle said. “He’s progresing in the run game. He’s getting bigger and stronger, really a sharp player, he’s smart, and that’s a big thing he’s improved on. 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 to me. There’s a satisfaction when guys improve and get to where they can help the team. And, he’s on his journey and improving in those areas.”