Brandon Inniss gets questions about Will Howard, the most talked-about quarterback in Ohio State’s high-profile competition for the quarterback position behind center.
They come from teammates and ask for his assessment of the veteran transfer from Kansas State.
This exchange prompts him to point out Howard’s leadership.
“Everyone listens to him when he’s in the huddle,” Inniss said. “He’s the commander. A lot of quarterbacks were very good, but he was on a different level.”
A day after Buckeyes coach Ryan Day seemingly named Howard as the favorite in the matchup – impressed with how he had gotten a better handle on the offense in preseason camp – the people responsible for catching the quarterback’s passes were also on the same page.
They agreed that Howard has made great progress since spring training and appears more confident in his role as a signal-caller.
The few wide receivers agree that Howard is more relaxed.
“He’s definitely more comfortable,” said redshirt freshman Bryson Rodgers. “He’s a great asset to this team. He’s a great voice in the locker room, has a lot of energy.”
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That behavior has carried over to the fields outside the Woody Hayes Athletic Center, where the Buckeyes have been practicing since camp opened last week.
“You can feel his presence as a fifth-grader when he steps on the field,” said senior Emeka Egbuka. “He comes into the group, takes command, tells everyone their roles and their assignments. Like a general out there.”
“He has tremendous confidence in his abilities, so that carries over to the entire offense and we are able to play fast.”
Howard is so laid back that he was even willing to do a little trash talk during competition phases.
“I like his confidence,” said Jeremiah Smith, the Buckeyes’ highly touted freshman receiver. “He’s starting to talk more, talk a lot of nonsense on the field. I love quarterbacks who like to talk.”
Not always PG either.
“He says a lot of things I can’t say,” Smith said, “but he’s definitely going to talk.”
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Over time, Howard was able to settle in at Ohio State University. He only transferred to the university in January.
In spring training, he had to learn a new playbook and get to know his teammates better. Timing between quarterback and receivers remains paramount.
When Howard met with reporters earlier this week, he described the experience as being like drinking from a fire hose.
“You’re in a new environment,” Egbuka said. “You have to get used to the people. You have to get used to the new offense. It all comes with time, and he’s getting better and better with every practice.”
The receivers see no change in the trajectory and have high hopes for the athletic 1.93 m quarterback.
“Will is a great quarterback,” Rodgers said, “and he’s just going to continue to grow and get better and better for this team.”
Joey Kaufman covers Ohio State University football for The Columbus Dispatch. Follow him on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, @joeyrkaufman or send him an email to [email protected].
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