After four years at Kansas State, Will Howard took his talents to Ohio State. But before he starred on the collegiate stage, he was a late bloomer in Downingtown, Pa.
Where Did Ohio State QB Will Howard Play in High School?
Howard grew up in Downingtown and attended Downingtown West High School. After serving as the backup QB as a freshman, he earned the starting nod as a sophomore.
While his 62% completion rate, 1,447 passing yards, nine touchdowns, and four interceptions may not pop off the screen, he did add 206 yards and six scores on the ground.
Additionally, Howard used his 6’4″ and 215-pound frame with the basketball team, earning two All-Area selections and scoring over 1,000 points in his varsity career, highlighting his overall athletic ability.
But it was his junior campaign that drew the most attention on the gridiron. In the first seven games, Howard amassed 1,299 yards and a 12:2 TD:INT ratio, intensifying talks with Penn State.
Then Howard suffered a wrist injury that knocked him out of the season.
In an interview on the Big Ten Football YouTube channel, Howard recalled how it impacted his recruiting: “I kind of stopped hearing from some people, especially Penn State … it kind of lit a fire under me.”
The fire allowed him to go scorched earth on his opponents, resulting in over 2,800 total yards, 39 TDs, a 13-2 record, and Downingtown West’s first district title since 1996. Unsurprisingly, the accolades (Maxwell Football Club Pennsylvania Player of the Year and All-State recognition) and scholarship offers (Maryland, Minnesota, and Kansas, among others) poured in.
But in the end, one school came out on top for the three-star recruit: Kansas State.
COMMITTED 💜☔️💜 #GoCats #EMAW20 @CoachKli @ckleincat7 @CoachCRiles @CoachMessingham @spedbraet pic.twitter.com/VgR6npAbPF
— Will Howard (@whoward_) June 23, 2019
Just like in high school, Howard began his career as a backup, but he was thrust into the lineup for the final seven games when starter Skylar Thompson suffered a shoulder injury. Although it was valuable playing time, Howard struggled, completing just 53% of his passes and tossing eight TDs to 10 INTs while dropping the last five contests of the year.
Thompson returned in 2021, relegating Howard to the bench, although he was able to play significant snaps in four games.
With Thompson off to the NFL, Howard began his junior spring practices as the first-team QB. However, transfer Adrian Martinez ultimately earned the job, causing the Pennsylvania native to intend to redshirt the year.
But when Martinez went down with a deep knee bruise, Howard stepped up once again, leading the Wildcats to a Big 12 title win over TCU and finishing with 1,633 yards, 14 TDs, and only four INTs in seven games.
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Despite the success, he believed it was time to move on from Manhattan, Kan., after setting the school career record for TD passes (48), entering the transfer portal on Nov. 27, 2023.
After visiting Miami (FL) and USC — and even considering the NFL — Howard decided to spend his final collegiate campaign at Ohio State.
“I’m glad I took my time with this decision,” Howard told ESPN at the time. “Through it, I got to learn a lot about myself and college football in general. It was a great process. I’m really glad I ended up choosing Ohio State.
“I knew that, if I passed this up, I’d regret passing up the chance to go be the quarterback at Ohio State. I knew I’d be kicking myself if I passed up this opportunity.”
With Ryan Day at the helm, Chip Kelly calling the plays, and a deep roster of playmakers, Howard has his sights on leading the Buckeyes back to the College Football Playoff and claiming the CFP National Championship for the first time since 2015.
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