Will Howard Addresses His No. 1 Priority After Transferring to Ohio State
Former Kansas State quarterback Will Howard made headline news on Thursday after announcing that he would transfer to Ohio State ahead of the 2024 season.
His announcement came one day after reports that he was set to take an official visit to Columbus, and now gives the Buckeyes a proven commodity at quarterback.
Despite his name being tied to Miami and USC throughout his portal process, Howard’s patience paid off by linking him with a ready-made national title contender at Ohio State.
“I’m glad I took my time with this decision,” Howard said via ESPN’s Pete Thamel. “Through it, I got to learn a lot about myself and college football in general. It was a great process. I’m really glad I ended up choosing Ohio State.
“I knew if that if I passed this up, I’d regret passing up the chance to go be the quarterback at Ohio State. I knew I’d be kicking myself if I passed up this opportunity.”
The opportunity to play quarterback at Ohio State is a great one, and following names like Justine Fields and C.J. Stroud isn’t something he’ll be able to take lightly. However, for Howard to reach that echelon in Buckeye lore, he’ll have to do something that his new team has failed to do in its last three attempts: beat Michigan.
After committing to Ohio State, Howard says that is priority No. 1, showing just how important “The Game” is to the folks in Scarlet and Grey.
“That game means so much,” Howard said. “The pressure is on. Beating that Team Up North is priority No. 1 on the way to the national championship and all our other goals. That’s huge and it’s everything when it comes to playing for Ohio State. I know the implications and what it means to the fan base and everyone in the program. That’s the Team Up North now.”
While he hasn’t officially taken a snap for the Buckeyes yet, Howard is fully aware of the lofty goals and expectations that come with being the quarterback at one of the most prestigious football programs in America. After instantly clicking with head coach Ryan Day, Howard said his goals are clearly set out in front of him.
“The goal I have, I want to go win a national championship,” Howard said. “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.”
