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Why did Will Howard transfer to Ohio State? Explaining Kansas State departure

Published

1 year ago

January 10, 2025

Why did Will Howard transfer to Ohio State? Explaining Kansas State departure

Rewind to Week 8 of the 2023 season, and Will Howard found himself on the bench in the second half of Kansas State’s game against Texas Tech.

Howard, who attempted only one pass in the second half of the game, was relieved by true freshman Avery Johnson, who scored five rushing touchdowns as Wildcats coach Chris Klieman said the quarterback-run game was open. Johnson’s performance led to Kansas State’s 38-21 win that night.

Fast forward a year, and Howard is in a position no one saw coming. After losing his role for a short time in 2023, the fifth-year senior has Ohio State in the College Football Playoff semifinal and has thrown for a CFP-leading 630 yards with five touchdowns in two dominant wins over Tennessee and Oregon.

The 6-foot-4 signal caller heads into the Buckeyes’ Cotton Bowl matchup with Texas on Friday with 3,490 passing yards with 32 touchdowns to nine interceptions this season, putting himself on the NFL draft radar.

While Howard took the majority of the snaps the rest of the way for Kansas State, he did surrender some work to the Wildcats’ young phenom in 2023. His transfer to Ohio State has been clearly the right move for the Downing, Pennsylvania, native.

Here’s everything to know about Howard’s transfer last offseason, and how he has excelled at Ohio State this season:

Why did Will Howard transfer to Ohio State?

Howard never explicitly stated his reasoning to leave Kansas State, however, with one extra season of eligibility remaining due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Howard likely wanted to play for a team ready to compete at the national stage.

Howard likely wasn’t going to achieve that at Kansas State, although he went 12-5 as the starter there in 2022 and 2023 with a 2022 Big 12 championship win over TCU, who reached the national championship that season. He also knew he’d be one of the top transfer portal quarterbacks available in a year where numerous teams had a spot to fill, along with respecting that the Wildcats had Johnson in waiting.

Ohio State, of course, also had a spot open, as Kyle McCord entered the transfer portal despite throwing for 3,170 yards with 24 touchdowns to six interceptions last season. All signs pointed to the Buckeyes taking a quarterback regardless of McCord’s move, however, to promote competition for the spot after some of McCord’s blunders in big games.

Howard took official visits to Miami, USC and Ohio State, and ultimately chose the Buckeyes due to the opportunity to win a national championship, plus the exposure on the national stage that would hopefully improve his NFL draft stock.

“The goal I have, I want to go win a national championship,” Howard told ESPN after committing. “At the end of the day, I want to go be a starting quarterback in the NFL. … I feel like the best place to stick as a quarterback in the NFL is as a first- or second-round pick in the NFL draft. Going to Ohio State gives me a chance to make a jump and leap into that conversation.”

Howard nearly entered the NFL draft last offseason, especially after landing a coveted invite from the Senior Bowl. However, he seemingly thought that a season at Ohio State would do more for his chances than leaving last season.

Howard made huge strides as a passer during his time at Kansas State, going from a run-first quarterback to a consistent passer. His biggest jump came at Ohio State, however, as his completion percentage rose to 72.6% this season, over 10 points higher than his previous best of 61.3% in 2023.

Howard said his production at Kansas State didn’t match what he thought of himself as a player, and that rung true after his showing with the Buckeyes this season.

“The week before I committed here I received a Senior Bowl invite,” Howard told reporters at his introductory press conference last January. “That was probably the thing I was closest to doing was going in the draft. I was projected a third- to sixth-round pick, that’s what I was hearing. You can never really trust everything you hear, but that was consensus what I was hearing.

“I just felt like I had the opportunity and felt like my talent level didn’t match where my stock was. And I felt like I couldn’t pass up an opportunity to try and bump that up and go somewhere to compete for a national championship.”

Will Howard stats

Here are Howard’s year-by-year college stats:

2020 (Kansas State): 90 of 168 passing (53.6%) for 1,178 yards with eight touchdowns to 10 interceptions; 78 rushes for 364 yards with three touchdowns
2021 (Kansas State): 30 of 55 passing (54.5%) for 332 yards with a touchdown to an interception; 32 rushes for 184 yards with four touchdowns
2022 (Kansas State): 119 of 199 passing (59.8%) for 1,633 yards with 15 touchdowns to four interceptions; 35 rushes for 22 yards with three touchdowns
2023 (Kansas State): 219 of 357 passing (61.3%) for 2,643 yards with 24 touchdowns to 10 interceptions; 81 rushes for 351 yards with nine touchdowns
2024 (Ohio State): 268 of 369 passing (72.6%) for 3,490 yards with 32 touchdowns to nine interceptions; 82 rushes for 165 yards with seven touchdowns

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Edward Peter Salus, Youngstown, Ohio

Published

11 hours ago

April 6, 2026

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YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (MyValleyTributes) – It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Father, who left us on Friday, March 27, 2026 at home.

He was born on May 22, 1946 in Youngstown, Ohio to John and Annette Salus.

Edward was a Self-employed professional auto mechanic for over 50 years.

He enjoyed fishing, golfing, travel, classic cars and camping.

He was a husband to Lana M Yambar-Salus (Deceased 2010) for 40 years. was a beloved father to James R Yambar (deceased1985) Robert E Yambar, Edward (Anne) Salus and John (Mandy) Salus. Brother to John Salus, Phillip Salus, Elizebeth Enterline and David Salus. Grandfather to over 20 grandchildren and a great grandfather. He will also be missed by many nieces, nephews and cousins, touching the lives of many with his warmth, kindness, and love of classic cars and auto mechanics. He was a graduate of Girard high school, served during Vietnam, and a member of St. Patrick’s Church in Hubbard, Ohio.

Edward was preceded in death by his mother, father, wife, son and brothers and sisters.

Edward’s life was celebrated at a Calvary cemetery, followed by a private burial on April 2, 2026. Services were private at our father’s request but all who knew him are encouraged to visit his grave at the family plot at Calvary cemetery and celebrate his life in private.

Augustine funeral home in Youngstown, Ohio handled all arrangements.

May Edward’s soul rest in eternal peace.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Edward Peter Salus, please visit our floral store.

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Darice Draa-Hall, Kinsman, Ohio

Published

23 hours ago

April 6, 2026

Press Room

KINSMAN, Ohio (MyValleyTributes) – The Lord has recently called home one of earth’s most precious angels, to join him in eternal rest. Darice Draa-Hall, 51 of Kinsman, Ohio, passed away peacefully on Sunday, March 29, 2026, at her home, the very one she grew up in as a child, after a long and courageous ten year battle with cancer.

Darice was born on March 6, 1975, in Greenville, Pennsylvania, the daughter of Roy Draa and Sharon Harvey.

She grew up in Kinsman, Ohio, where she attended Joseph Badger High School and graduated high school in 1994. She later went on to attend college for a short period at Kent State University.

She most recently worked as an operations technician at Luxium Solutions in Hiram, Ohio, where she grew special crystals that were used in the manufacturing of MRI machines and other tools used in gas and oil exploration.

Darice dedicated her entire life to her family, pouring boundless love, kindness, patience, hope, wisdom, and so much more into raising her three boys. She was a masterful gardener, with hands blessed by thumbs greener than grass. She loved canning the treasures from her own backyard. She was an amazing cook; the flavor and love she added to every home-cooked meal was second to none, seasoned with many tips and tricks obtained from generations past that she loved to teach to those around. With a strong passion for sewing, she could create or fix anything you could dream of. She also enjoyed scrolling Facebook, staying connected to the world she knew and loved. But above all, she cherished spending time with her beloved friends and family, continuously planting the seeds of moments and memories for her loved ones to remember forever.

She leaves behind a legacy of love in the hearts of her husband, Dale Hall; her loving children, Joenus Hall, Michael (Marissa) Miller, Jr. and Zachary Williams; her fur-babies, Max and Koda; her sister, Denise (Ken) Moore; her niece, Ally Moore and nephew, Brian Moore and her brother, Jimmy Engle and many more loving friends and family who will carry her spirit forward. She was preceded on her journey by her father, Roy Draa; her mother, Sharon Harvey and her brother, Brock Engle; along with many other cherished loved ones who won’t be forgotten.

Per her wishes, there will be no funeral services or calling hours. A celebration of her remarkable life will be held during the summer months ahead, when the sun is high and the world is in full bloom. Though she has stepped into eternal rest, the seeds of love and wisdom she planted in her sons and family will continue to grow for generations to come. We carry her spirit in our hearts every day, comforted by the boundless love she gave us and the hope that we will one day walk beside her again.

Arrangements are entrusted to the Staton-Borowski Funeral Home, 962 North Road NE, Warren, Ohio 44483, 330- 394-6200. Dedicated To Serving Your Loved Ones.

Condolences may be sent to www.statonborowskifuneralhome.com.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Darice , please visit our floral store.

A television tribute will air Tuesday, April 7 at the following approximate times: 5:17 a.m. on WKBN, 8:39 a.m. on FOX, 5:19 p.m. on WYTV and 6:37 p.m. on MyYTV. Video will be posted here the day of airing.

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Ohio’s first Buc-ee’s to open Monday

Published

1 day ago

April 5, 2026

Press Room

Related video: Electric atmosphere fills Mississippi’s first Buc-ee’s on opening day

HUBER HEIGHTS, Ohio (WTVG) – Buc-ee’s will open its first Ohio location Monday.

The 24/7 travel center chain will open to the public in Huber Heights, just outside of Dayton.

Buc-ee’s is based in Texas and has been expanding across the South and now in the Midwest. The chain is known for its large number of gas pumps and clean bathrooms, and its food options like Beaver Nuggets and brisket.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine plans to attend the grand opening Monday.

Plans are in the works to build the second Ohio location in Mansfield.

Related story: Buc-ee’s sues Milan, Ohio company over trademark infringement

Buc-ee’s is suing an Ohio-based convenience chain, alleging its moose mascot looks too much like Buc-ee’s famous beaver. (Source: WTVG)

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