A native of West Virginia, Strange was a late-riser on the recruiting scene, not picking up the majority of his offers until the summer before his senior season. He dominated the camp scene, landing offers from Ohio State, Notre Dame, and Penn State all while on visits to the school. Eventually, Strange made the call for the Nittany Lions after officially visiting for the 2018 White Out game against the Buckeyes.
Strange redshirted his first year in Happy Valley, but then broke into the tight end rotation — partly due to Pat Freiermuth’s season-ending surgery — as a redshirt freshman, hauling in 17 receptions in just 7 games.