Will Howard to Ohio State: Why the former Kansas State star quarterback implies an imminent change in Ryan Day’s offense.
Will Howard, a transfer quarterback from Kansas State, was confirmed by Ohio State on Thursday, ending weeks of conjecture following the departure of starting quarterback Kyle McCord from the club. With Howard, head coach Ryan Day decided to take a fresh approach after years of having the Buckeyes offense be led by accurate drop-back passers.
Among the better experiences on the portal is Howard’s. The senior, who has almost 800 career throws and a Big 12 title under his belt, travels to Columbus, Ohio. Though Howard should give a much-needed senior leadership in an Ohio State locker room in need of confidence, he also raises serious concerns about an Ohio State offense that is still trying to figure out who Day wants it to be.
Day has developed some of the top quarterbacks in college football since taking over as offensive coordinator in 2017. Three players that turned into top-15 NFL Draft selections were Dwayne Haskins, Justin Fields, and C.J. Stroud. Their devastating downfield attack terrified defenders. After McCord failed to live up to Day’s quarterback legacy, he left Ohio State for Syracuse, breaking the chain. However, Howard hardly seems like the right person for Day to return to an aerial assault.
Coach Chris Klieman at Kansas State has had tremendous success with Howard’s growth. With less than 55% of his throws completed and nine touchdowns to eleven interceptions in his first two seasons at KSU, Howard did not appear to be a future starting quarterback. After Adrian Martinez got hurt a year later, he replaced him in the starting lineup and completed 15 touchdown passes against just 4 interceptions.
Howard has improved greatly as a passer; according to Pro Football Focus, his offensive grade rises each. However, he is not a genuine downfield passer. In terms of adjusted completion percentage, Howard is ranked 77th out of 92 players who have attempted at least 40 passes of 20 yards or more downfield. In contrast, Kyle McCord came in at number four.
Howard is, of course, moving from a passing offense with tight end Ben Sinnott at the center to one with a wealth of explosive receivers. Malik Knowles, a current Vikings receiver, cleared 15 yards per reception when Howard was tossing to him a year ago. In that unit, Howard’s adjusted completion rate on deep throws was almost 13% better, but it was still well below elite. Day could think that Howard has what it takes to be a downfield passer in this offense, and blue-chip wideouts Carter Tate, Jeremiah Smith, and Brandon Inniss might make Howard’s life simpler.
Howard still has a lot of outs if the deep passing game never takes off. In terms of intermediate (10–20) adjusted completion percentage, he came in at number 38 out of 73 qualifying passes. Howard completed 70.4% of his passes for 8.3 yards per attempt with 10 touchdowns to two interceptions in the center of the field, between the line of scrimmage and the 20-yard line. Although McCord threw four interceptions, his efficiency was somewhat higher. Howard is right to recognize this.
According to Howard’s calculations, the 2024 NFL Draft might take place in Rounds two through four, as ESPN reported. He has an opportunity to become a first-round pick and contend for a national championship by attending Ohio State. Day’s offense will have to make a decision in order for Ohio State to get the most out of him. Restore the run, please?
Ohio State has gradually shifted back toward the Urban Meyer era every year since Day’s initial defeat to Michigan. Day wants to make a statement about his teams’ physicality, whether it is by changing the defense or depending more on powerful running backs. Howard’s physique is ideal for restoring that.
Howard is in no way comparable to Michael Bishop or Collin Klein, two legendary K-State players recognized for his groundwork. Under Klieman, who developed Carson Wentz, Easton Stick, and Trey Lance into first-round picks for the NFL Draft at North Dakota State, Kansas State has gradually returned to the passing game. But Day needs to use his legs in order to make the most of Howard.
Howard had his finest rushing performance of his career as a senior, going 71 times for 351 yards and nine touchdowns. Of the 62 organized plays, zone runs accounted for 55 and gap runs for 43. Just seven of them were scrambles. Standing at a mammoth 6-foot-5 and 242 pounds, Howard can punish opposing blocks with his powerful body. He rarely causes players to miss, yet he can move quickly in a straight path.
As an Ohio State playcaller, Day has been reluctant to employ the run as part of his toolkit. Even one of the most athletic signal-callers in recent memory, Fields, was the only exception, with just 76 called runs in 738 snaps with the Buckeyes.
Howard’s legs will need to be the main weapon because of the roster changes. Marvin Harrison Jr. and Emeka Egbuka, two of the best receivers, are anticipated to sign with the NFL. TreVeyon Henderson and Miyan Williams at running back could also do so. Ohio State has already made purchases through the transfer portal in an attempt to strengthen its struggling offensive line. Howard’s role expands because there are so few reliable players on the team.
For Howard, there has been some precedent. Before Day took over in 2017, J.T. Barrett was brought in for the power spread. Despite some early setbacks, Day eventually came up with plans for Barrett to utilize his running ability in a Big Ten championship season. Additionally, the passing game kept much closer to the line; Barrett completed 60% of his passes within ten yards of the line of scrimmage, accounting for 53% of his passing yards after the catch. Just 44% of yards have came after the catch in all previous Day seasons combined. This is a schematic decision.
Day’s most important coaching season is about to begin. Against rival Michigan, the Buckeyes have dropped their last three games. The pandemic coincided with Ohio State’s lone Big Ten Championship and College Football Playoff victory. 2024 will see the opening of the CFP field as well as the addition of USC, UCLA, Oregon, and Washington to the Big Ten schedule.
Howard cannot be used as a stopgap by Ohio State. It must go to the Buckeyes. Day must also adapt in order to succeed with Howard.