Will Howard enjoyed a miraculous season with the Ohio State Buckeyes after transferring from Kansas State last year. With a national championship victory against Notre Dame, Howard is now on top of the world, and his NFL Draft stock is soaring to unprecedented levels. Following the national championship, Buckeyes offensive coordinator Chip Kelly had special remarks for the quarterback for ending the program’s championship drought.
Will Howard Gets Huge Shoutout From Chip Kelly
YOUR 2024 CFP NATIONAL CHAMPIONS: THE OHIO STATE BUCKEYES 🏆 pic.twitter.com/d2WV4FDqvx
— ESPN (@espn) January 21, 2025
After 10 years, Ohio State reinstated its championship glory, and Howard was one of the crucial players who proved decisive in the win. His accurate passes and ability to capitalize on weapons like wide receiver Jeremiah Smith toward the end zone made the path clear for Ryan Day’s team to win the trophy.
After the game, Kelly mentioned Howard’s significance in Ohio State’s program and how he handled the pressure.
“He’s awesome,” Kelly said, per Forbes. “Will is as special as they get. He’s dialed in. He’s smart as heck. We put a ton on his plate. He goes to the line of scrimmage with two, sometimes three plays, and he puts us in the right play all the time … He did a great job all game long.”
Howard’s journey to the top has been quite inspiring. He transferred from Kansas State last season after losing starting jobs multiple times with the Wildcats.
During his freshman season in 2020, Howard started the last seven games for the Wildcats. He completed 53.6% of his passes on the year and scored eight touchdowns while conceding 10 interceptions. The following year, Howard was again pushed to a backup role behind Skylar Thompson.
Howard’s position on the depth chart continued to fluctuate until 2023, when Kansas State named him a full-time starter. That year, he completed 61.3% of his passes and threw 24 touchdowns.
Soon after, Howard was asked by Wildcats head coach Chris Klieman to either leave for the NFL or enter the transfer portal.
Subsequently, Howard got in touch with Day, and Ohio State decided to take a bet on him. Howard’s football IQ and maturity impressed the Buckeyes head coach and resulted in him being named the starter in his final year of NCAA eligibility.
MORE: Will Howard Wows With Wild Stat Line in Dominant First-Half Performance
Against Notre Dame, Howard completed 17 of 21 passes for 231 yards and two TDs while also being named the Offensive Player of the Game. Next up for Howard is the NFL Draft, with a potentially high selection in the cards.
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