Ohio State Quarterback Will Howard Compared to Oregon Ducks Legend Marcus Mariota

It's been a year of ups and downs for Ohio State senior quarterback Will Howard. From starting the season with on a five-game win streak, to reminiscing in a dark Buckeye practice facility after an October loss to the Oregon Ducks, to continuing to dominate the Big Ten until a devastating loss against Michigan, then bouncing back to win Rose Bowl against the Ducks and the College Football National Championship against Notre Dame, there's quite a bit of twists and turns Howard has overcome in the 2024-2025 season.

To add another feather to the National Champion quarterback's hat, Howard is now in the top five highest graded quarterbacks to perform in the National Championship, according to Pro Football Focus. Howard finished the game with an 88.6 grade, which lands him in a class featuring a former Duck great.

That statistic places Howard in the No. 4 slot for the best performing quarterbacks in the championship. Other quarterbacks making up this list include Georgia's 2022 quarterback Stetson Bennet (94.1), LSU's Joe Burrow (90.6) in 2019, Alabama's Mac Jones (87.7) in 2020, and Oregon's iconic Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Marcus Mariota (90.8) in 2015 (2014 - 2015 season). Mariota ranks as the No. 2 ranked quarterback in a national championship game.

Will Howard had one of the best National Championship QB performances in the PFF era🔥 pic.twitter.com/GYL7TSXkWc
— PFF College (@PFF_College) January 22, 2025

So, let's compare the two quarterback's performances playing for the biggest trophy in college football.

Against Notre Dame on January 20th of this year, Howard went 17-21 in the passing game, picking up 231 yards and two touchdowns. He made 100% of his screen passes, picking up 53 yards from behind the line of scrimmage and made a clean 56-yard pass as his final connection and passing first down of the game with wide receiver Jeremiah Smith. Howard also rushed for 57 yards off 16 attempts. Ohio State won against Notre Dame 34-23.

In 2015 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington Texas against Ohio State, Mariota passed 24-37 for 333 yards and two touchdowns. He threw one interception. On scoring, Mariota landed a 70-yard touchdown pass to Byron Marshall in the third quarter as an attempt to make a comeback for an Ohio State with 21 points exiting the half.

Jan 12, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA; Oregon Ducks quarterback Marcus Mariota (8) runs with the ball against the Ohio State Buckeyes during the game at AT&T Stadium. The Buckeyes defeated the Ducks 42-20. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

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Before the Buckeyes sniffed out Oregon's offense in the second half, causing most of Mariota's incompletions, Mariota's passes landed in the mid range to long range category, with most of his passes being around the 7-8 yard mark.

For rushing, Mariota picked up 39 yards off 10 carries. Oregon lost against Ohio State 42-20.

When looking at Mariota's and Howard's performances in the National Championship, there's similarities and differences. Both men had a long-range marquee throw, but Howard's came as a bookend, with Mariota's as a comeback. Both quarterbacks used their rushing skills quite frequently throughout both games, highlighting their versatility to extend a play. Both quarterbacks also found a majority of their missed throws starting around the third quarter.

Jan 20, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes running back Quinshon Judkins (1) and quarterback Will Howard (18) celebrate after a touchdown against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the second half the CFP National Championship college football game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Being compared to college football greats is an honor in of itself, and to look at the numbers from the National Championship and how Howard grew as a player to defeat Oregon in the Rose Bowl 41-21, then to win it all, is a further testament to his skills as a college quarterback.

“When Will’s feet are right, he’s as good as anybody I’ve been around," Ohio State coach Ryan Day said about Howard after Ohio State beat Notre Dame. "His accuracy, his ability to see (the field), the way he commands the team, the work he puts in. The thing that nobody is probably going to understand is how much credit he deserves for how much he can take on.

"I don’t think there was — to say 90 percent of the calls that went in the other day had two or three plays into it, he’s calling a play or two in the huddle and then checking the play at the line of scrimmage," Day continued. "That’s NFL material right there. That’s special. Whichever organization decides to draft Will is going to get, like, a pro on day one walking through the door.”

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