Will Howard, Ohio State Football News: Draft Scout Player News

11/03/20 - QB Will Howard, rSr/2025, Ohio State

From the moment he hit the field for a two-snap sequence in Kansas State's opener, quarterback Will Howard has played like a veteran. Against West Virginia's stout defense Saturday, Howard played more like one would expect for a freshman who, this time last year, still was in high school and starring for Downington High in Downington, Pa., four and a half hours away from Milan Puskar Stadium. Howard threw an interception on the game's opening possession. He threw another later in the quarter. And his final one on the day, in the third period, was returned for a touchdown. Well aware that quarterbacks walk a fine line - earning too much praise after victories and too much criticism after losses - K-State head coach Chris Klieman forcefully defended Howard following the team's 37-10 defeat.

"We're for sure not going to hang this on Will Howard, because I think he's continuing to improve," Klieman said. "I thought he made some really good throws. We have to be better for him, and we have to be better with a lot of the things we're doing offensively. We've got to block better. We've got to catch the ball better. We've got to do a lot of different things." Yes, Klieman said, there might have been a throw or two Howard wanted back; Klieman added "every quarterback in the country" goes through a similar dilemma every game. Not that he expects the performance to rattle Howard. "The one thing I'm not worried about is Will's confidence - any of that stuff," Klieman said of Howard, who completed 19 of his 37 passes (51%) for 184 yards and a touchdown along with the three interceptions. "Will's got the 'it factor.' He'll be just fine." - Manhattan Mercury

rSr/2025