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Adam Rittenberg, ESPN Senior Writer
Ohio State will start Will Howard, a transfer from Kansas State, at quarterback to open the 2024 season, coach Ryan Day announced Thursday.
Howard, who started 28 games for Kansas State and helped the Wildcats to the 2022 Big 12 title, was the front-runner for the Buckeyes’ starting job but had been competing in preseason camp with Devin Brown and others. Brown also competed with eventual starter Kyle McCord, who has since transferred to Syracuse, for the starting job last summer. Alabama transfer Julian Sayin and others were in the mix, but No. 2 Ohio State will go with Howard for its Aug. 31 opener against Akron.
“We’re really excited about Will being the starter,” Day said. “He has really taken command of the offense. You feel him in the huddle, you feel his experience. He did a really good job of changing his body in the offseason, so he’s become a threat, both with his legs and with his arm. The more he understands what he’s doing out there … he’s really executing very well.”
The 6-foot-4, 235-pound Howard set a Kansas State record with 48 career touchdown passes and tied the team’s single-season mark with 24 TD passes last fall. He has 5,786 career passing yards and has accounted for 67 total touchdowns. Howard announced his transfer to Ohio State in early January.
Day said Brown, a junior with eight career appearances, will be Ohio State’s backup quarterback, although Sayin is still a contender for the No. 2 job. Sayin, ESPN’s No. 9 recruit in the 2024 class, transferred from Alabama to Ohio State in January.
Howard separated himself from the other contenders during the past seven to 10 days of camp, Day said.
“Will’s earned it,” first-year offensive coordinator Chip Kelly said. “We obviously grade everything, and Will graded out the highest.”