Football at Ohio State: The player who transfers has the most to prove in 2024
Stars like Emeka Egbuka and TreVeyon Henderson were also retained by the team, which is significant given the quantity of players who have left Ohio State for the NFL through the transfer site.
However, one particular athlete that the Buckeyes acquired through the transfer portal sticks out as the one who has the most to show come 2024. That would be Will Howard, the former quarterback for Kansas State.
Quarterback Will Howard
Clutch Points is the provider of Scott Sewell-USA TODAY Sports©. Over the last ten years, Ohio State’s quarterback play has not been a significant problem. Players like Justin Fields, CJ Stroud, Dwayne Haskins, JT Barrett, and Cardale Jones have all entered and guided Ohio State football teams to the College Football Playoffs.
Their standards are really high in such program. Kyle McCord might not have been able to live up to it.By all measures, McCord’s season wasn’t horrible. McCord averaged 9.1 yards per attempt and completed 65.8% of his attempts. With just six interceptions in 2023, he finished the season with 3,170 yards and 24 touchdowns. I mean, who would take those numbers?
Well, against the finest opponents, McCord did not play to his full potential. McCord averaged less than 6.5 yards per attempt and completed only 56.8% of his attempts against Notre Dame. Although he did lead the game-winning drive, his performance in that game was mainly unremarkable.
In Ohio State’s regular season finale against the Michigan Wolverines, McCord wasn’t exactly stellar either. The game destroyed Ohio State’s hopes of making the playoffs, as he completed just 18 of 30 passes for 271 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions.
In other words, McCord let Ohio State down when they most needed him. When Will Howard dons the uniform for the Buckeyes in 2024, he will need to accomplish that. He must not only participate in the most important games but also inspire the squad to win.
Fortunately, he’s done precisely that before. During his time at Kansas State, he participated in a Big 12 championship game and contributed enough to his team’s victory. Although he did not have the best passing game—going 18–32 for 199 yards—he did throw two touchdowns and add one on the ground.
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With a strong performance in the 2023 seasons, Howard also nearly defeated the Texas Longhorns, who would go on to make the playoffs. Despite throwing an interception, he completed 26 of 41 passes for 327 yards and four touchdowns.
In addition, Howard completed the season with two touchdowns and 270 yards passing against the Missouri Tigers, a Top 10 squad. The football team from Ohio State will dominate the Big Ten and every opponent they face. Kyle McCord has a very strong year-long record.
But they will need to play flawlessly, with few to no errors, against the best teams in the nation. McCord was not able to do that consistently. Throughout his tenure at Kansas State, Will Howard has been able to do just that.
There is a chance for Ohio State to reclaim the top spot in the Big Ten because the Michigan Wolverines are in a state of flux with Jim Harbaugh’s departure from his position in Ann Arbor to take the helm of the Los Angeles Chargers. Will Howard’s outstanding play will be necessary for them to succeed.