Cleveland, OH

What Will Howard’s commitment means for Ohio State football and Ryan Day

Published

2 years ago

January 5, 2024

What Will Howard’s commitment means for Ohio State football and Ryan Day

COLUMBUS, Ohio — With a potentially dominant defense and an enticing collection of skill position stars, Ohio State football coach Ryan Day needed the quarterback who could bring it all together.

That circumstance confronted Day as soon as he accepted the reins of the program from Urban Meyer in the winter of 2018-19. His first major decision as head coach involved fixing the quarterback room immediately after Dwayne Haskins’ departure to the NFL and setting the course for years to come.

Day’s first foray into the transfer quarterback market become an unparalleled success. Justin Fields became a Heisman Trophy finalist and led two College Football Playoff appearances. Day now summons former Kansas State quarterback Will Howard to Columbus under similar, though not identical, circumstances.

Depending on the outcome of pending NFL Draft decisions, the Buckeyes could feature a former 1,000-yard receiver, one of the best running backs in the nation and a defense that spent the past season providing miles’ worth of margin for error every Saturday.

Unlike Fields, Howard will face real competition for the job. Devin Brown pushed Kyle McCord for the starting job last season through the first two weeks of the regular season. Current freshman Lincoln Kienholz and incoming five-star prospect Air Noland deserve a fair look this spring as well.

Also unlike Fields, Howard represents merely a one-year bridge back to the future of the Buckeye quarterback room.

Back in 2019, Day needed a jump-start to the kind of quarterback room he hoped to build. Now he needs a course correction — one season of stability (with upside) before he turns back to cycling through the upper-tier prospects who arrive on an annual basis.

BET ANYTHINGGET $250 BONUSESPN BET

21+ and present in MA, NJ, PA, VA, MD, WV, TN, LA, KS, KY, CO, AZ, IL, IA, IN, OH, MI. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-Gambler.

Day asked McCord and Brown a year ago to find that measure of dependability and consistency. They almost got there. They also had Marvin Harrison Jr. and Cade Stover — recognized among the best in the nation at their positions — at their disposal.

Howard, or whoever ultimately wins the 2024 job, will not. He will, though, throw to a receiving corps potentially led by Emeka Egbuka. While the 1,000-yard receiver in 2022 has not announced an NFL Draft decision, he has been considered at worst a lean to come back. He would become the top target in a room littered with former top prospects such as Jadyen Ballard, Carnell Tate, Brandon Inniss and Jeremiah Smith, among others.

The offense may also benefit from the return of TreVeyon Henderson, who finally reached an elusive combination of health and performance in the second half of this past season. As the offensive line recalibrates and potentially reassembles with new contributors, a return by Henderson would ensure a fairly high floor for a complementary ground game.

And if neither Egbuka nor Henderson return? Day’s system has always been rather kind to quarterbacks, and Howard’s specific skill set should fit in fairly easily. He is not a dual-threat quarterback, but rather a mobile pocket passer. (Fields was more of the former, though under Day he played like more of the latter.)

Howard rushed for 168 yards and three touchdowns in back-to-back games against Central Florida and Oklahoma State last season. Ohio State quarterbacks netted minus-40 yards after lost sack yardage in 2023.

That’s quite a contrast, and Howard’s 6-foot-5, 242-pound frame scrambling for free yards would change how defenses must scheme and react.

The other difference between this transfer quarterback pickup and Day’s first: Back in 2019, the stakes were not yet make-or-break. Day had some leeway as a first-time head coach taking over a roster left a bit unprepared for Haskins becoming a first-round pick after one season as starter.

Day turns to Howard in need of a breakthrough. The list of players who have cycled through OSU in the past three seasons without playing meaningful snaps in a Big Ten championship game is staggering: C.J. Stroud, Marvin Harrison Jr., Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Paris Johnson Jr., Mike Hall Jr.

Howard’s commitment comes as Michigan prepares to play the national championship game as a 4.5-point favorite. The Buckeyes’ relationship to their rivals and their place in the Big Ten hierarchy has flipped since Fields left.

Regardless of a lack of divisional strictures and an expanded playoff, Day must flip that relationship back. He is entrusting Howard to help make it happen.

If you or a loved one has questions and needs to talk to a professional about gambling, call the Ohio Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-589-9966 or the National Council on Program Gambling Helpline (NCPG) at 1-800-522-4700 or visit 1800gambler.net for more information. 21+ and present in Ohio. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-Gambler.

Source link

Related Topics:Featured ohio-state-football-2024

Click to comment

Cleveland, OH

Iran strikes spark debate among Northeast Ohio residents

Published

10 hours ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

Iran strikes spark debate among Northeast Ohio residents

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – The Cleveland Liberation Center and nearly 100 other organizations rallied in Cleveland Sunday to protest the U.S. strikes on Iran, demonstrating significant grassroots opposition to the military action.

The recent U.S. military strikes on Iran and the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, have ignited passionate discussions across the nation, and Northeast Ohio is no exception.

While state political leaders express support for President Donald Trump’s actions, local activists are raising urgent questions about the impact on American communities.

Dallas Eckman, a public school teacher and volunteer coordinator with the Cleveland Liberation Center, is taking a clear stance against the recent attacks.

“We need to step up as Americans and say violence is not going to be the way we solve out world’s problems,” Eckman said.

The frustration runs deeper for Eckman, who sees a disconnect between military spending and domestic priorities.

“It’s absurd that for me as a public-school teacher I am struggling to get funding for chrome books and books. I can wake up one morning and see we have spent millions and millions of dollars to bomb another country,” he explained.

Eckman questions whether these military actions actually benefit working people in Cleveland.

“Which does nothing for the working people here in Cleveland. It does nothing to make my schools safer. It does nothing to improve the road right outside the liberation center,” Eckman said.

Eckman’s concerns are shared by many in the region.

Despite local opposition, several Ohio’s political leaders are backing the Trump administration’s decision.

Senator Bernie Moreno released a statement expressing his support, stating, “President Trump sought for months to avoid conflict and negotiate with Iran to prevent them from rebuilding their nuclear program. I fully support his decision.”

Secretary of State John Husted also voiced his approval.

“For 47 years, the Iranian regime had ample opportunity to be a productive member of the global community — instead, it chose to export death, terrorism, extremism, and instability against America and our allies,” Husted said.

Source link

Cleveland, OH

Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Brooklyn Nets prediction, pick for Sunday 3/1/26

Published

22 hours ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Brooklyn Nets prediction, pick for Sunday 3/1/26

Cooper Albers takes you through his preview, prediction and pick for Sunday’s NBA matchup between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Brooklyn Nets.

Eastern Conference rivals close their regular-season series on Sunday, as the Brooklyn Nets host the Cleveland Cavaliers at Barclays Center.

The Cavaliers (37–24, 4th East) have dropped back-to-back games without Donovan Mitchell and James Harden, albeit against far superior competition. They’ll aim for the three-game sweep of Brooklyn without Mitchell, while Harden remains questionable.

The Nets (15–44, 14th East) are mired in a brutal seven-game losing streak, including a 112–84 thumping in Cleveland on February 19.

Here’s a look at the Injury Report:

Cleveland Cavaliers

Out: Donovan Mitchell (Groin), Max Strus (Foot), Dean Wade (Ankle)
Questionable: James Harden (Thumb), Keon Ellis (Finger)

Brooklyn Nets

Out: Egor Demin (Heel), Drake Powell (G-League Assignment)
Questionable: Nic Claxton (Thumb)

Tipoff is set for 3:30 p.m. ET. Cleveland enters as a hefty 11.5-point road favorite on DraftKings Sportsbook, while Brooklyn sits as a +410 underdog. The game’s total is set at 222.5 points.

Cavaliers vs. Nets Preview

Cleveland Cavaliers Preview

The Cavaliers went all in at the NBA trade deadline, sending Darius Garland to Los Angeles for superstar guard James Harden. The gamble seemingly paid off, as the former MVP has fit seamlessly into the lineup alongside Donovan Mitchell. Cleveland went 6–1 after Harden’s debut, its lone loss coming against the defending champs in Oklahoma City.

But the momentum quickly stalled when both Harden and Mitchell hit the sidelines to nurse injuries. Cleveland has dropped back-to-back games in the star duo’s absence against Milwaukee and Detroit. And while Harden is listed as questionable for Sunday’s contest with a thumb fracture in his non-shooting hand, Mitchell remains out with a groin strain.

The Cavs are just 2–4 without Mitchell this season. If Harden stays out, they’ll likely keep relying on their accomplished frontcourt of Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. Cleveland also features a solid veteran backup point guard in Dennis Schroder, along with a reliable sharpshooter in Sam Merrill.

Brooklyn Nets Preview

Brooklyn has won five games in 2026. Five.

Were any of these wins particularly impressive? Hardly. They beat a Nikola Jokic-less Denver Nuggets, the spiraling Chicago Bulls twice, the lowly Washington Wizards, and the tanking Utah Jazz.

The Nets rank dead last on both ends of the floor since January 1, disappointing even by their standards. They’ve lost seven games in a row, punctuated by a 37-point walloping in Boston on Friday night.

Michael Porter Jr. will continue trying to carry an increasingly strained offense without rookie standout Egor Demin. Brooklyn will also lean on its burgeoning frontcourt, comprising Noah Clowney and Nic Claxton (questionable).

Cavaliers vs. Nets Pick, Best Bet

Keep an eye on the injury report for this one. If Harden remains sidelined, Cleveland may lack the offensive firepower to pull away. But if the former MVP suits up, expect him and the Cavs to carve up Brooklyn’s porous defense and comfortably cover the 11.5-point spread.