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

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


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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.

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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.

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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.

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“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.

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“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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Miami moves past Ohio State, climbs in national team recruiting rankings

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Miami moves past Ohio State, climbs in national team recruiting rankings


Miami has moved up in the Rivals Industry national team recruiting rankings.

The Hurricanes added a big piece to the puzzle when Top 100 Dothan (Ala.) High cornerback Ai’King Hall flipped his commitment from Oregon to Miami on Sunday afternoon.

With Hall now in the fold, Miami jumped up one spot from No. 7 to No. 6 in the rankings.

Miami surged past Ohio State and boasts the No. 1 recruiting class in the ACC.

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The Hurricanes are less than a point behind No. 5 ranked Notre Dame.

At 5-foot-11, 190 pounds, Hall is ranked as the No. 7 cornerback and No. 39 overall prospect nationally, per Rivals. He is also ranked as the No. 1 overall recruit in the state of Alabama this cycle.

Miami now has 12 commitments in the 2027 recruiting class — Hall, five-star Long Beach (Calif.) Poly cornerback Donte Wright, five-star Miami (Fla.) Carol City wide receiver Nick Lennear, Top 100 Lombard (Ill.) Montini Catholic quarterback Israel Abrams, , Rivals300 Houston (Texas) Langham Creek defensive lineman Ezekiel Ayangbile, Rivals300 Poplarville (Miss.) High running back Ty Keys, Rivals300 Fort Pierce (Fla.) John Carroll offensive lineman Sean Tatum, four-star Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) Cardinal Gibbons tight end Demarcus Deroche, four-star Davie (Fla.) McArthur defensive back Jaylyn Jones, three-star Gainesville (Ga.) High offensive lineman Tyler Ford, three-star Key West (Fla.) High defensive lineman Josh Johnson and three-star Davie (Fla.) McArthur defensive back Sherrod Gourdine.

Miami will have a chance to keep moving up the rankings as it gears up to host several top targets for official visits this summer.



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Maybe Ohio State AD Ross Bjork should sit in regular-guy seats, wait in line, etc.

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Maybe Ohio State AD Ross Bjork should sit in regular-guy seats, wait in line, etc.


Have more comments, questions? Reach out to me at bwhite1@dispatch.com. Letters are lightly edited for clarity.

On Ohio Stadium

Mr. White: My wife and I are longtime OSU football season-ticket holders, and after receiving the survey email from OSU, reading Rob Oller’s comments regarding the stadium restrooms and, finally, your published letters, I have a few comments. Rather than having our athletic director and his entourage review the consolidated survey responses from ticket holders and view the recommendations of potential actions to take, why don’t they personally experience what we season-ticket holders do? This coming season I suggest they divide up and sit individually in the seats we common folks sit in (no premium seating or seats between the 20-yard lines) and experience what it’s like to stand up to let other ticket holders pass by for their seats, standing in line for concessions and the time they had to wait to use the restrooms. At a game last year, I left my seat with three minutes left in the first half to use the restroom and get my wife and I some snacks and bottled water. The lines were so long that I returned to our seats halfway through the third quarter. My wife attempted to contact me, but the weak Wi-Fi did not allow her messages to go through. I believe an experience such as this would provide the AD and his staff more valuable feedback than a filtered survey.

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Benny Wolfinger, Powell

To Benny: Great “average fan” angle here. Have AD Ross Bjork sit with you during a game and fetch snacks for the family midway through the third quarter, then fill out the survey. Hopefully his response to y’all isn’t “Buy a suite.”

On high school football

To the editor: Thank you for the Sunday Huddle topic “Greatest of the Great“ central Ohio’s best high school football player. A comparison is highly subjective, recognizing the different era and positions as well as supporting cast. Archie Griffin was Eastmoor’s nearly total offense his junior and senior years. When the game would start, the loudspeaker announcer would say “Archie Griffin carried the ball.“ Then after two or three carries it was “Archie Griffin.“ A couple more handoffs and it was “Archie.“ He would carry about 30 times a game, with the defense knowing exactly who was carrying the ball. The only unknown was which side of the line.

Bob Weiler

To Bob: The poll is still open and getting great response. At this writing, Upper Arlington’s Jeff Backes leads with 40% of the vote, followed by Griffin (22.8%), East’s Chic Harley (8%) and Central’s Hopalong Cassidy (7%).

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On hockey

To Brian: Will someone please explain to me why fighting is allowed − even condoned − in the sport of professional hockey? Football, baseball, basketball, soccer, etc. players who engage in fisticuffs are routinely ejected from games, probably fined and possibly suspended. In hockey, fighting is simply a penalty. Witness the photo on page 4C of (the April 22) Dispatch, showing Blue Jackets’ Mathieu Olivier and Bruins’ Mark Kastelic mixing it up. Almost every face in the crowd is either smiling or laughing − no looks of disgust or outrage − and the two referees are simply standing there watching, making no move to break it up.

To those who would answer my inquiry by saying it’s just part of the game, my response is that’s why I hate it. I wouldn’t go to a hockey game if you gave me free tickets and offered to take me to the venue in a limo.

Mike Adamkosky, Columbus

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To Mike: Hockey people swear by it as a great means of self-enforcement. I don’t get it. Never will.

On Ohio State football

To Brian: The recent Dispatch article citing Caleb Downs’ complaint of Michigan teaching players to hold is laughable. Of course they do, as on every team. OSU doesn’t? Has Downs actually watched any football games at any level lately? Pro, college, high school −makes no difference. There is literally holding on the line of scrimmage on every play if you watch closely. The holding call is only made when the holding is so incredibly obvious that a nearly blind person could see it, and then sometimes it still is not called. If all actual holding by players was called, the game would literally grind to a halt. It’s the same in basketball with carrying the ball or the the NBA four step in the drive to the hoop. There are rules against it, but it’s seldom if ever called. Come to think of it, nowadays there are no carrying or palming the basketball calls period. 

Chet Ridenour Sr, Worthington

To Chet: I have never seen a fan base whine about holding more than Ohio State’s. And now Downs is just fueling it more. Every team holds. And they should as long as it’s not getting called.

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To Brian: The Browns have had 13 head coaches (two interim) since the new era began in 1999. Kevin Stefanski could only make two wild-card slots in the last six seasons. Since Cleveland’s NFL debut in 1950, 69 different quarterbacks have started, including Baker Mayfield and former Ravens’ veteran Joe Flacco. Both got the Browns into the playoffs. The Browns overall win pct. is .503, yet only .334 since ’99 (146-290-1); just four winning seasons. A new coach or QB won’t improve their chances. The weather, injuries and inconsistency are chronic issues. So, build a retractable dome and use it for multiple events. Could a Myles Garrett-for-Quinn Ewers trade “save” the beloved Browns?  

Larry Cheek, Dublin

To Larry: Weather, injuries and luck have nothing to do with the Browns’ misery. It is bad decisions, and getting Ewers for Garrett would fall right into that pile.

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On Indiana football

To Brian: I was disappointed to see so many empty seats at Indiana football’s spring game. While it was on a weeknight and opposite the NFL draft, it was free and they certainly had something to celebrate. But I surprised to see enthusiasm for the miraculous success they now enjoy was underwhelming.   

Dennis Singleton, Dayton

On Michigan basketball

To the editor: As a gracious Buckeye, I tip my cap to the team up north for winning the NCAA championship. Sorry, Woody, a title is a title. Hang the banner. Sure, the roster looked more like a free-agency convention than a student body. Call them transfers, call them mercenaries – call them champions. In today’s world, the line between locker room and ledger sheet is pretty thin. They played. They paid. They prevailed. Congratulations. And while I will debate teamwork and toughness, only the accountants and the IRS will know the real final score.

Michael Oser, Upper Arlington 

More from the Mailbox

Are luxury boxes really what Ohio Stadium needs?

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Why don’t girls wear helmets in lacrosse?

An appreciation of Muzerall’s greatness; and should dunking be banned in basketball?

Rob Oller is right, and Rob Oller is wrong

Should Rob Oller be punished for missing Ohio State football bandwagon?

Reader comes to Rob Oller’s defense, and what Is Ross Bjork doing?

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What would St. Peter say to Woody Hayes, Ryan Day?

Does Ohio State really think it would beat Miami 9 out of 10 times?

Fans’ treatment of Ohio State kicker Jayden Fielding is ‘unhinged’

Can Brian Hartline be focused enough for Ohio State CFP run? 



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Ohio Highway Patrol investigating fatal head-on crash on U.S. Route 62

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Ohio Highway Patrol investigating fatal head-on crash on U.S. Route 62


PERRY TWP. ‒ Two people were killed and a juvenile was injured in a two-vehicle, head-on crash the morning of May 16 on U.S. Route 62, the Ohio State Highway Patrol said.

A 2019 Ford Ranger was traveling northbound when the vehicle traveled left of center and struck a southbound 2021 Honda Odyssey at 7:16 a.m., the patrol said. The Ford was operated by Cole Scholey, 21, of Beach City, and the Honda was driven by Kelly Kemp, 56, of Massillon.

Scholey was taken by the Perry Township Fire Department to Cleveland Clinic Mercy Hospital, where he died. Kemp was pronounced dead at the scene. A juvenile occupant in the Honda was transported to Aultman Hospital with serious injuries.

Neither Scholey nor Kemp were using safety belts, the patrol said. Speed is suspected as a factor in the crash, which remains under investigation.

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Route 62 southbound lanes, south of Navarre Road, were closed for about three and a half hours.

The patrol was assisted at the scene by Perry Township and Massillon police, Perry Township and Erie Valley firefighters, Ohio Department of Transportation, Stark County Coroner’s Office and Tracer’s Towing.



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