Will Howard to Ohio State: Why ex-Kansas State star QB signals potential new direction for Ryan Day’s offense

Ohio State landed Kansas State transfer quarterback Will Howard from the portal on Thursday, putting an end to weeks of speculation after incumbent Kyle McCord transferred from the program. After years of pinpoint drop-back passers running the show for the Buckeyes offense, coach Ryan Day opted to go in a different direction with Howard. 

Howard’s experience ranks among the best in the portal. The senior comes to Columbus, Ohio, with a Big 12 title under his belt and nearly 800 career throws. But while Howard should provide a much-needed senior leader in an Ohio State locker room searching for confidence, he also adds major questions to an Ohio State offense searching for identity under Day. 

Since taking over as offensive coordinator in 2017, Day has produced some of the best quarterbacks in college football. Dwayne Haskins, Justin Fields and C.J. Stroud all developed into top-15 NFL Draft picks and terrorized defenses with their downfield attack. That chain stopped with McCord, who left Ohio State for Syracuse after failing to live up to Day’s quarterback pedigree. But if Day wants to get back to an aerial assault, Howard hardly fits the profile. 

Howard is one of the great developmental success stories for coach Chris Klieman at Kansas State. Over his first two seasons at KSU, Howard did not look like a future starting quarterback, completing fewer than 55% of his passes and notching nine touchdowns to 11 interceptions. One year later, he entered the starting lineup for the injured Adrian Martinez and threw 15 touchdowns to four interceptions. 

While Howard has developed tremendously as a passer, with his offensive grade rising every year per Pro Football Focus, he is not a true downfield passer. Among 92 players to attempt at…

Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/will-howard-to-ohio-state-why-ex-kansas-state-star-qb-signals-potential-new-direction-for-ryan-days-offense/

Author : Shehan Jeyarajah

Publish date : 2024-01-05 15:42:47

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