'Compete For National Titles': Why Will Howard Chose Ohio State Over NFL Draft
Will Howard proved his potential as a quarterback who could lead his program to a conference title during his time at Kansas State.
He now looks to be more than that at Ohio State in his fifth and final season of eligibility.
Howard, who met with the media at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center for the first time since transferring to Columbus, believes there's another layer to his game that remains untapped. Under new head coach Ryan Day and first-year offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien, he's certain the next factor can be reached.
“I felt like I could come compete here to win the national championship — and that above anything else was one of the most important things,” Howard said Tuesday. “I felt like I just had more I wanted to accomplish in college, and I wasn’t done yet.
"That was, I think, what really drew me here — getting to the next level. Playing in an offense like this I think is really going to prepare me for that next level and give me the best shot.”
Howard chose Ohio State because of the impact he could make on offense. The Buckeyes made it clear following a third loss to Michigan at the season's end that every position would be evaluated entering the offseason.
New Ohio State quarterback Will Howard meets with the local media for the first time since transferring from Kansas State
Buckeyes Now
Kyle McCord elected to enter the portal at the season's conclusion, and neither Devin Brown nor Lincoln Kienholtz did little to offer upside as QB1 in the 14-3 Cotton Bowl loss. And despite the arrivals of five-star Julian Sayin and four-star passer Air Noland, Day needed a veteran in a pivotal year.
Howard, who guided K-State to a Big 12 title in 2022, had several options after announcing his intent to leave Manhattan. The senior said both USC and Miami were "in the mix" but not the only option. Howard also considered entering the draft while accepting an invite to the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama.
With a strong showcase down south and a promising combine, scouts believed Howard could fall somewhere in the third round. With a rough outing, pre-draft conversations pegged him as a sixth-round selection.
Pre-draft grades won't determine a player's path to the pros, but it does point out the weak points in one's game. For Howard, his reliability on his legs made it hard to judge what his upside would be as a passer.
In Ohio State's more pro-style offense with O'Brien, a majority of those questions should be answered.
“A lot of these other schools that I was looking at, maybe these air-raid type schools, they’ve got great offenses and I could put up a lot of numbers,” Howard said. “But I don’t know how much that would develop me for the NFL.”
McCord and Howard differ not just in size but also in production. In 12 starts for the Wildcats, Howard completed 61.3 percent of his attempts for 2,643 and 24 touchdowns against 10 interceptions while posting a 140.1 passer rating.
McCord, who since has transferred to Syracuse, finished with a higher completion percentage (65.8), more passing yards (3,170), and fewer interceptions (six) in the same span. His 161.4 passer rating also was over 20 points higher in what most consider a more daunting conference.
The difference resides in the lower body. Howard's mobility provides a second element to the Buckeyes' offense that's been missing the past three seasons. Coincidently, Ohio State hasn't beaten Michigan or won a conference title since Justin Fields was evading pass rushers in the backfield dating back to 2020.
Howard rushed for 351 yards and nine touchdowns last season. He has over 900 rushing yards in his career, 18 scores and averages around 4.1 yards per attempt. While that might come as a blessing, Howard said he's not just known for his legs and hopes to change the narrative of "mobile passer in the pocket" to "pocket passer that's mobile."
’I'm excited here to where I can be more of that pocket passer and also use my legs when I need to – but I feel like my strength is in my arm," said Howard.
Howard's new teammates have already been impressed with his football IQ and presence in the locker room. New center Seth McLaughin called him a quarterback who "knows how to win games," which factored into his decision to commit to Columbus for a fifth season.
Howard will have to win the job, but he's battled for the title of QB1 before. Even last season as the leading man he had to fight off five-star phenom Avery Johnson, who in small spurts made fans of the Purple and White wonder if he could be the answer in securing a playoff bid beginning in 2024.
He's ready to come in and battle with four scholarship passers and earn the title accordingly.
"We’re all here to compete and we’re all here to help the Buckeyes win," said Howard. "That’s all we’re here for. That was made evident when I came on my visit and the thing that I’m most fired up about is how good the dudes in the room are and how good they’ve been to me.”
Nothing of Howard's journey through college has made sense. After a rocky freshman season that led to a 4-6 campaign, he remained committed to the school and barely saw action for two years until an injury to Adrian Martinez created an opening.
A year after winning the starting job outright, he entered the transfer portal. And now with a season of eligibility left, Howard has joined a program in need of a dominant year to change the persona around the complex and coaching staff.
Howard's career has shown he's unafraid of added pressure. He's proven when given the chance, he can be the reason a team celebrates after a big game.
Now, Howard looks to be the answer for Ohio State's offense in winning the biggest games of the season en route to Atlanta, Ga. for a stop at the national championship.
And it starts at Ohio Stadium on Nov. 30.
