The Ohio State Buckeyes are enjoying a successful season in the NCAAF, largely thanks to the stellar play of quarterback Will Howard. As the season has progressed, the talented QB has shown significant growth, and it was Howard himself who revealed the key influence behind his development.
One of the standout aspects of Will Howard’s performance has undoubtedly been his impressive efficiency, consistently delivering week after week. With the Buckeyes currently boasting an 8-1 record, they have firmly established themselves as serious title contenders.
The former Kansas State player shared details of his improvement in a recent press interview, highlighting a key figure behind his growth: offensive coordinator Chip Kelly.
“I think a lot of it is coaching and the way that I’ve been taught here,” Will Howard said. “Something Coach Kelly has emphasized with me since, really, since I got here was just completions and how many completions are out there on the field that it’s just easy and just take them.”
Offensive Coordinator and Quarterbacks Coach Chip Kelly waves towards the Ohio State fans before the game against the Oregon Ducks at Autzen Stadium on October 12, 2024 in Eugene, Oregon.
Since his arrival at Ohio State, Howard has completed 74% of his passes, a significant jump from the 58.8% completion rate he posted during his time at Kansas State. In terms of interceptions, Howard has thrown just five in nine games this season, a marked improvement compared to the ten interceptions he threw in twelve games with his previous team.
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The differences from his time at Kansas State
Since transferring to Ohio State, Will Howard has shown significant improvements in several key areas compared to his time at Kansas State. The talented QB made it clear when discussing the differences between his time with the Wildcats and his current stint with the Buckeyes.
“I feel like a lot of times in my career at Kansas State, I was trying to force things in windows and I didn’t really need to,” Howard said.
“There’s checkdowns all over the field, man. And getting the ball to Trey [Henderson] or Gee [Scott Jr.] or [Quinshon Judkins] in the flat and letting them run for six to 12 yards — I mean, there was a play on Saturday where I may have missed [Emeka Egbuka] down the middle on one play, but I checked it down to Q and we get six yards out of it. And it’s like, well, we’re in 2nd-and-4 and that’s still a pretty good position to be in. There’s just completions all over the field,” the QB concluded.
Will Howard #18 of the Ohio State Buckeyes reacts prior to a game against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Beaver Stadium on November 02, 2024 in State College, Pennsylvania.
Howard’s obsession with perfecting his throw
Since arriving at Ohio State, he has worked tirelessly on refining his mechanics, footwork, and decision-making process. This dedication to perfecting his craft has been a key factor in his impressive rise, as evidenced by his jump in completion percentage from 58.8% at Kansas State to 74% with the Buckeyes
“And something we emphasized in preseason training camp was, I was shooting for 80 percent completion percentage every single day. That was my goal,” Howard said. “And I only achieved it a couple of times and it’s hard. But I think that helped me so much.”
“Completions are devastating to a defense,” the talented quarterback Will Howard finally concluded.
