What we learned as the Buckeyes finalized their starting lineup and the season opener approached – Ohio State Football
Will Howard called it an “honor” and a “privilege” to play for Ohio State when he spoke to the media on Tuesday, just four days before his debut with the Buckeyes. He also described it as an opportunity he doesn’t take lightly.
“Man, I’m so excited,” Howard said. “I can’t overstate how excited I am. I’m pumped. I grew up watching the Big Ten. I’ve played in a lot of places now at this point in my career. I’ve played in front of hundreds of thousands, but the ‘Shoe’ and the atmosphere here, it’s different, man, and the traditions – I’m really excited to experience all of this.”
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Howard said the team has thought about what it would be like on game day, but he understands it will be different Saturday afternoon before the 3:30 p.m. kickoff against Akron. The Kansas State graduate is focused on taking the experience with him.
“I only get a limited number of opportunities here,” said Howard, who started 27 times and won a Big 12 title at K-State. “I want to make sure I take it all in before we go out there and get down to business, buckle up and go.”
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Howard knows there’s pressure to be the QB1 at Ohio State. He knew that when he transferred there in January. With a national championship and a higher NFL draft value in his sights, Howard has embraced those expectations in Columbus.
He said Tuesday that his first goal when he arrived at Ohio State was to become “that guy.”
“I knew I had to work for it, and the guys in the room weren’t going to make it easy for me,” Howard said. “But I felt like I had a good training camp, and I showed the coaching staff what I could do, and felt like I finally settled into the offense for the first time.”
“Now that I’m going through the fall, I’m really confident about my offensive instincts and my continued development in this system.”
Howard can’t wait for Ohio State fans to see him play in a regular season game. Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day is excited, too.
“We haven’t played a game with Will yet,” Day said Tuesday. “So again, I’m excited to see what it looks like on the field. But, you know, we’re going to go out there and find out if some of our assumptions are correct and some aren’t, and then improve the things that are going well and fix the things that need to be fixed.”
Day said Howard’s top priority is to run the team cleanly. That means getting Ohio State in and out of the basket effectively, communicating clearly using the new helmet technology, making routine plays routine and taking care of the football.
However, Howard will be judged most critically on third downs, in the red zone, and in two-minute drill situations.
“It’s about getting into the game, getting a feel for it and playing clean,” Day said. “That’s what we’re looking for in Week 1.”
Howard, Day says, needs to get a feel for the game – and before that, he’ll surely get a feel for a packed Ohio Stadium full of hopeful and title-hungry Buckeyes fans.
