Ohio
Why Ohio State Quarterback Will Howard Fits With Chip Kelly
With high expectations for the Ohio State Buckeyes this season, the offense will need be a key part of the team’s success this season.
Last year, the Buckeyes featured Kyle McCord at the helm, while head coach Ryan Day called the plays for the veteran quarterback. The duo of McCord and Day had some positive moments throughout the season, but their efforts were not enough to defeat the Michigan Wolverines.
The tides have dramatically changed this offseason in Columbus and Ohio State will now put the trust in former Kansas State quarterback Will Howard and newly-hired offensive coordinator Chip Kelly. Many fans are skeptical of how this dynamic will work, but the combination of Howard and Kelly could take this offense to new heights during the 2024 season.
When looking at any former Chip Kelly teams, the biggest takeaway is Kelly’s usage of a duel-threat quarterback.
Looking back at the 2022 season, UCLA quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson had an incredible jump in play. Part of it was due to his ability to run the ball. Thompson-Robinson finished his final year at UCLA with 117 carries and 646 yards on the ground on top of his 3,154 yards in the air.
This style of play is very similar to Howard’s play style at Kansas State. The 6-foot-5, 242-pound quarterback has demonstrated his capability to use his legs when called upon. In 2023, Howard reached 351 rushing yards on 81 carries. His run-style is similar to Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen, as both are big players and use their strength to gain extra yards.
One of the main emphasises in Kelly’s offense last year was utilizing the middle of the field in the pass game. Taking a look at UCLA’s primary starting quarterback last year, Dante Moore, we can see how much the Buckeye’s new offensive coordinator likes to use the middle of the field (stats according to PFF):
|
Depth of Pass |
Percentage of Passing Play Call |
|---|---|
|
Behind the line of scrimmage, middle |
8.9% |
|
Short, middle |
18.7% |
|
Intermediate, middle |
11.2% |
|
TOTAL |
38.8% |
Out of the 12 spots that PFF uses to identify passing zones, three of the four zones across the middle made up nearly 40% of Moore’s passes.
The usage of the middle part of the field perfectly aligns with Howard’s skillset, as his profile last year shows how well he does in those passing concepts.
|
Depth of Pass |
Percentage of Passing Play Call |
Completion Percentage |
PFF Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Behind the line of scrimmage, middle |
8.1% |
89.7% |
68.5 |
|
Short, middle |
31.3% |
75% |
68.2 |
|
Intermediate, middle |
12.0% |
58.1% |
90.2 |
Kansas State did even more through the middle of the field than Kelly’s UCLA offense last year, which could be perfect for Howard. While the former Wildcats’ quarterback did not excel outside the numbers and on deeper throws, Howard did a solid job in the areas that are basic concepts of a Chip Kelly offense.
The final piece to why this combination will work is the fact that both Howard and Kelly will have an upgrade in offensive weapons.
As a starting quarterback for Kansas State, Howard had a 1,000 yard rusher in every season except one, but did not have a wide receiver reach over 800 yards. For Kelly, he had solid running backs with no talented pass catchers.
Now, as both join Ohio State, they have weapons in order to expand the playbook while elevating the play of Howard. The Buckeyes lost a few of the team’s key pieces in the running back room, but gained former Ole Miss running back Quinshon Judkins and held on to TreVeyon Henderson. The one-two punch of Judkins and Henderson will be one of the best, if not the best, running back room in college football.
In terms of pass catchers, the Buckeyes return two wide receivers in Emeka Egbuka and Carnell Tate to command the wide receiver room. Newcomer Jeremiah Smith also has shown promise throughout the spring and could be a big piece to the core.
When’s Ohio’s 2026 primary election? Date, candidates, changes to know
See which candidates are conditionally qualified for Ohio’s 2026 primary ballot and key election deadlines.
Ohio’s primary election season has begun – Election Day is May 5. Ohio’s candidates are vying for spots on the ballot for the November midterm elections.
That’s nothing new, but Ohio made significant changes to mail-in voting that voters need to know about.
What has changed with Ohio’s mail-in ballots?
Voting through a mail-in ballot? There are some changes voters should know.
Signed into law by Gov. Mike DeWine in December 2025, Senate Bill 293 requires absentee ballots to arrive by the close of polls to be counted, with an exception for military and overseas voters.
Any mail-in or absentee ballots must now be received before or on Election Day by 7:30 p.m. in order to be counted. There is no longer a 4-day grace period after Election Day.
The primary election is May 5, and the general election is Nov. 3, 2026.
So, when should you send your mail-in ballot in Ohio? The sooner the better. The U.S. Postal Service does not necessarily postmark your mail the day it is received unless you specifically request it. So, you ballot may not make it to a postal processing center until the day after you drop it in a mailbox.
When does Ohio early voting start? Key dates for early, absentee, mail-in votes
The primary election will be held May 5, 2026, according to this year’s voting schedule.
Early in‑person voting began on April 7, including the Saturday and Sunday before Election Day. Absentee voting by mail also began on April 7.
On Election Day, May 5, polls are open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Absentee ballots must be received by your local board of elections by 7:30 p.m., per the voting schedule.
Ohio voter registration deadlines for 2026 elections
Ohioans must register or update their voter registration no later than 30 days before an election. The registration deadline for the May 5 primary was April 6, 2026.
Here are the upcoming voter registration deadlines in 2026:
- April 6, 2026, for the May 5, 2026, primary and special election
- October 5, 2026, for the November 3, 2026, general election
If you register or update your information after the deadline, the changes will apply for the next election.
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (MyValleyTributes) – Mrs. Mary Lucille Young, 74, of Youngstown, departed this life on Friday, April 10, 2026 at her residence where God welcomed her home.
Mary, affectionately known as “Mary Lou” and “Tang”, was born March 8, 1952 in Youngstown, a daughter of Lawrence and Ada Mae Alexander Hamilton Young.
She was a proud 1971 graduate of South High School.
Mary was a member of New Bethel Baptist Church.
She attended Louis Weinberger Hill Beauty School, and was accepted as a model with Barbizon Modeling Agency.
Mary worked and retired from Youngstown Sheet and Tube.
She enjoyed looking her best, dancing, shopping, casinos and decorating her home. Mary was strong, bold and took no mess. She was loved by many people.
She leaves to cherish her memories, her pride and joy, two daughters, Adalatesha Bright and Richlynn Bright; two sons, Ja-Juan Young and Dr. Ty-Juan Bright all of Youngstown; five grandchildren; two sisters, Cynthia (Floyd) Davis, Janet (Steve) Gardner both of Youngstown; and a host of family and friends.
Besides her parents, she was preceded in death by a son, Michael Lamar Young; three brothers, Isaiah, Edward, Lorenzo Young.
Private services were held at the L.E. Black, Phillips & Holden Funeral Home.
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Mary Lucille Young, please visit our floral store.
The NWSL is once again expanding, this time the league is heading to Ohio where Columbus NWSL 2028 will take the field. Of course, Columbus NWSL 2028 is a placeholder for now and the the new team will unveil its name, crest, and uniform to build an identity around as it approaches its first season.
News of the club was announced yesterday, though this has been in the works for some time, in a press conference. Team owners, the Haslam Sports Group (HSG), Nationwide and Drs. Christine and Pete Edwards, spoke about what they hope the club will bring to Columbus and women’s soccer more broadly.
“Our family is thrilled to help bring an NWSL team to Columbus and further invest in Ohio, with the honor of bringing the 18th team into the league,” said Haslam Sports Group Managing Partner Whitney Haslam Johnson. “We believe in the power of women’s sports and are humbled to be part of the number one women’s soccer league in the world.”
Nationwide insurance has been a corporate partner in both NWSL and MLS for years and now joins an ownership group deepening those ties. “Today’s announcement is about inspiring young athletes across Central Ohio, elevating women’s professional sports and reminding the world that Columbus is a first-class sports city,” said Kirt Walker, Nationwide Chief Executive Officer. “As Nationwide marks 100 years, this is a powerful way to celebrate our milestone with the community that has been our home from the very beginning.”
The Edwards family has deep roots in the Columbus soccer scene with Dr. Pete Edwards serving as team doctor for the Crew in 1996 and the family joining the team’s ownership in 2019 during the Save The Crew effort. “Columbus is very important to our family. For over 30 years, we’ve supported the Columbus Crew and MLS. We’ve seen how a men’s professional soccer team has brought people together and created a positive impact in our community. It’s truly special to now welcome an NWSL club and the incredible women athletes who will also uplift our city on and off the pitch,” said Dr. Christine Edwards. “We’re very excited to partner with Haslam Sports Group and Nationwide for NWSL Columbus 2028, and we can’t wait to share even more memorable moments with fans, especially during the Club’s first game at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field.”
The NWSL has continued its expansion with the announcement and the team will join Atlanta in its inaugural season in two years.
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