Quarterback Will Howard (18) smiles after the Ohio State football team’s spring game on April 13 at Ohio Stadium. Photo credit: Caleb Blake | Lantern File Photo
When Will Howard finished his senior year at Kansas State University, he decided to fully pursue his life’s goal of becoming a starting quarterback in the NFL.
Howard’s mission began with his commitment to Ohio State, and he earned the job as starting quarterback for the Buckeyes this August.
Now, in less than a week, Howard will slip into “The Shoe” at the head of the Buckeyes’ offense.
“I knew last year was probably going to be my last year (at Kansas State), so I knew anything I was going to do was going to be a new step,” Howard said. “I mean, that step that I took was a blessing in every way.”
Although he was only a freshman in the program, Howard made it a point to make early connections and develop into a leader for his Buckeyes teammates.
“You have to earn the respect and trust of an entire football team and this family in six, seven months,” Howard said. “The most important thing for me was building relationships with everyone.”
Head coach Ryan Day said Howard’s experienced presence was evident and the team responded well to the confidence he exudes.
“You feel him in the huddle, you feel his experience,” Day said. “I think he’s done a really good job in the offseason of changing his body so he’s become a threat with both his legs and his arm. He executes his tasks really well and I think guys are excited when he comes into the huddle.”
Howard said the key differences between Kansas State’s offense and the system under Ohio State offensive coordinator Chip Kelly have been positive and have impacted his game management.
Given Ohio State’s talent pool at the wide receiver position, Howard said he had the green light to throw into single coverage.
“If it’s one-on-one coverage, they’re free,” Howard said. “It just depends on how I need to throw the ball, and I think a lot of that was because of how Coach Kelly and Coach Day instilled that in me — like, ‘Hey, he might not look free, but he’s wide.'”
Kelly said Howard impressed not only with his arm but also with his legs, and his posture became more pronounced over time.
“It’s just as important to be that guy in the run game as it was the last game in terms of what we asked the quarterback to do here,” Kelly said at a press conference on Aug. 15. “(Howard) really worked extremely hard in the offseason, you know, from the end of spring ball on April 13th to now. He’s made a lot of progress, but we gave him a plan to work on in the summer and he took it and executed it, so it’s pretty impressive where he is now.”
Howard said all the obstacles he faced during his short time at Ohio State have positively changed both his game and his motivation toward the game.
“I feel like just the opportunity and the challenges I’ve had here already have really made me a better player,” Howard said. “I feel like a different player than I was last year. I’m just excited because it’s a new opportunity, a new challenge, and it’s lit a new spark in me.”
Howard grew up in West Chester, Pennsylvania, as a Penn State fan. Many years later, he is ready to experience the conference, but as a member of the Buckeyes.
“I’m excited, man. I grew up watching the Big Ten,” Howard said. “I’ve played in a lot of places in my career. I’ve played in front of hundreds of thousands, but the shoe and the atmosphere here is different. And the traditions, I’m really excited to experience all of that.”
Howard will take the field for the Buckeyes for the first time on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. in Ohio State’s season opener against the Akron Zips.
