Look, the expectations in Columbus are impossible. If you aren't winning a national title, you’re basically failing. That was the weight hanging over Ohio State QB Will Howard when he walked into the Woody Hayes Athletic Center in early 2024. He wasn't the flashy five-star recruit people expected. He was a veteran transfer from Kansas State who some fans thought was just a "bridge" player.
They were wrong.
By the time the confetti fell in Atlanta on January 20, 2025, Howard wasn't just a bridge. He was a champion. He led the Buckeyes to a 14-win season and a National Championship victory over Notre Dame. He didn't just manage the game; he owned it.
The Numbers Nobody Expected
Most people figured Howard would just hand the ball to Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson. While the run game was elite, Howard’s efficiency actually broke records. He finished the 16-game season with 4,010 passing yards and 35 touchdowns.
But check this out: he completed 73% of his passes.
That is an Ohio State single-season record. Honestly, coming from Kansas State, where he hovered around the 60% mark, nobody saw that jump coming. It turns out that when you give a guy like Howard weapons like Jeremiah Smith and Emeka Egbuka, he becomes a surgeon. He had eight games where he completed over 80% of his throws. That’s not just good. It’s historical.
Why the Deep Ball Changed Everything
If you watched him at K-State, you saw the "Big Will" nickname in action. He was tough. He could run. But his deep ball was... let's say "adventurous." In 2023, he only completed about 32% of his passes thrown 20 yards or more downfield.
Then he got to Ohio State.
Working with Chip Kelly and Ryan Day changed his footwork. By the end of the 2024 season, his deep-ball completion percentage nearly doubled to roughly 59%. He led the entire country in that category. It wasn't just that he had better receivers; he was actually throwing with better touch.
The turning point? Probably the Oregon game in the playoffs. He threw for 319 yards and three scores. He looked like a totally different player than the one who struggled with consistency in Manhattan, Kansas.
The Playoff Run for the Ages
- Tennessee: 311 yards, 2 TDs. A total rout.
- Oregon Rematch: Revenge was sweet. 319 yards and a massive statement win.
- Texas (Cotton Bowl): He struggled with the deep ball here but showed his grit. He checked to a QB draw on 4th-and-2 that went for 18 yards. It's those veteran moves that won the game.
- Notre Dame (Title Game): He started 13-for-13. A CFP record. He finished with an 81% completion rate and the Offensive MVP trophy.
The NFL Reality Check
Despite the rings and the stats, the NFL scouts were still skeptical. Howard is 6'4" and 235 pounds—he looks the part. But some worried he was a "vessel of the play-caller" rather than a pure creator.
He didn't go in the first round. He didn't even go in the first five rounds.
The Pittsburgh Steelers eventually took him in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, 185th overall. It’s kind of poetic, actually. He’s now in a room with Mike Tomlin and has been mentored by Ben Roethlisberger. A fractured hand in training camp slowed his start, but he’s already back on the active roster.
What’s Next for the Buckeyes?
With Howard gone, the "QB1" drama is back in Columbus. Julian Sayin has been the guy in 2025, and he’s actually chasing some of Howard’s efficiency records. It's a different vibe, though. Sayin is the young prodigy; Howard was the grizzled vet who came in to finish a job.
If you’re looking to track Howard’s progress or understand the legacy he left, here is what you need to watch:
- Watch the Steelers' depth chart: He's currently behind the veterans, but Tomlin likes his toughness. If the starter goes down, Howard’s 44 college starts make him a "plug-and-play" backup.
- Monitor Ohio State's completion records: Howard set the bar at 73%. See if Sayin or the next guy can actually maintain that over a full Big Ten schedule.
- Check the 2024 highlight reels: Look specifically at his 3rd-and-long conversions. That’s where he earned his money at Ohio State.
The "Will Howard experiment" wasn't just a success—it’s the new blueprint for how schools like Ohio State use the transfer portal. Find a veteran with a chip on his shoulder, give him the best receivers in the world, and watch the records fall.