Kstate

K-State QB Avery Johnson Among Those To Shout Out Will Howard

Shandel Richardson|
Jan 20, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard (18) on the podium after defeating the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the CFP National Championship college football game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Jan 20, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard (18) on the podium after defeating the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the CFP National Championship college football game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

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Kansas State Wildcats

There is nothing but love between Ohio State quarterback Will Howard and his former understudy, Avery Johnson.

Johnson, who was Howard's backup at Kansas State last season, was among the first to shout out Howard after winning the national championship Monday against Notre Dame in Atlanta. Here's what he posted on his Instagram story.

The respect is there despite Johnson being the reason for Howard entering the transfer portal last year. The Wildcats were all set to hand the keys to Johnson, leaving Howard with a decision. He could stay as the backup or choose a new school.

He made the right decision. Howard now has a national championship ring as he now prepares for a potential career in the NFL.

He called joining the Buckeyes a life-changing move, especially after experiencing the highs and lows during his time in Manhattan. Despite leading the Wildcats a Big 12 championship, he said he struggled in the environment.

"Man, my freshman year at K-State was tough," Howard said. "I'm not going to lie. That was one of the tougher years because it was COVID. I'm living alone. I'm starting -- I think I ended the season with like eight touchdowns and 11 picks. I was playing bad football, and I didn't feel like myself."

This year, Johnson led the Wildcats to a 9-4 record and a win against Rutgers in the Rate Bowl. Perhaps he follows it with similar success as Howard.

Shandel Richardson is the publisher of Kansas State Wildcats On SI. He can be reached at shandelrich@gmail.com

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Shandel Richardson
SHANDEL RICHARDSON

Shandel has covered the NBA since 2010, with previous stops at The Athletic and South Florida Sun-Sentinel. He has covered six NBA Finals, one Super Bowl, the NCAA basketball tournament. He has also been a beat writer for the Miami Hurricanes and contributed on every major beat in South Florida since 2003, including the Miami Dolphins and Miami Marlins. He can also be read in the Sportsbook Review for gambling coverage from around the NBA. A native of Bloomington, Illinois, Shandel attended Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. He's also worked for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and Kansas City Star. TWITTER: @ShandelRich EMAIL: shandelrich@gmail.com You can subscribe to our YouTube channel here Follow all of our Miami Heat coverage on Facebook here