Matt Tamanini
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Moment of the Game: Will Howard brings a much-needed extra dimension to Ohio State’s offense
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
I wish for nothing but good things for Kyle McCord, but Will Howard is an upgrade in almost every category.
We are going to pick out one moment from every single game that carries special significance. It can be a game-winning score, it can be a heart-warming moment, it can be something that speaks to a larger storyline for the Buckeyes. Relive the season via the Moments of the Game.
This might not have been the most exciting play of the day — Jeremiah Smith’s touchdown, or one of Quinshon Judkins’ were more thrilling — but Will Howard’s second-quarter, six-yard touchdown run might be the most important. The Buckeyes’ first-year starting quarterback finished the game with 292 yards passing on 18-for-26 yards passing with one score through the air, and this ground score as well. Ohio State dominated Western Michigan in The Horseshoe by a score of 56-0.
Through two games, Kyle McCord has thrown for 735 yards and eight touchdowns for the Syracuse Orange, and — despite his and his dad’s salty exit from Columbus — I am happy for his success and hope that Cuse finds a way to contend for the ACC title.
But Howard is an upgrade at quarterback in nearly every imaginable way. His leadership is evident in press conferences and on the field, which is something that McCord just wasn’t able to achieve in Columbus. At OSU, you need a quarterback who can be a leader in both word and action. McCord’s personality never really allowed him to grab the mantle on the former, and I would say he got a B+ in the latter when factoring in on-field performance and off-field work ethic and leading by example.
I loved seeing, immediately after scoring this touchdown, Will ran toward the stands and gave the crowd an “O-H!” He just seems to be comfortable in his position as the leader of this team and as the center of attention for an entire fanbase. Of course, the absolutely loaded nature of this roster allows him to share the spotlight, but he is still the quarterback at Ohio State, arguably the most dissected position in all of college football. Howard seems to be at ease with that responsibility, while it never felt like it fit Kyle in quite the same way for whatever reason,
Then, Will’s on-field skill set is just so better suited for what Ohio State ants to do than Kyle’s. The latter is a fairly traditional, sit-in-the-pocket-and-throw QB while Howard has the ability to pick defenses apart from the pocket, he also can avoid pass rushers — which we saw him do multiple times tonight — and then he can do this. He can keep the ball, avoid multiple defenders, and scamper into the end zone.
This is an extra dimension that Howard brings to the Buckeye offense that I think is going to be incredibly important throughout the season. Not only will they eventually play better defenses that will put him in situations where his legs will have to save plays, but the possibility of him keeping a ball on an RPO will likely freeze defenses — if even for a split second — and will change the way that defensive coordinators call plays and bring pressure.
Kyle, admittedly, probably still has a better arm and throws a better deep ball than Howard — he did miss an obvious touchdown connection to Jeremiah Smith — but as evidenced on other passes, the K-State transfer can put the ball on a dime when called for.
I wrote about it after Week 1, but I was thoroughly impressed with what OSU’s new starting quarterback did against Akron. It might not have been a perfect game — and neither was this one, honestly — but the diversity of ways that he can make plays is something that I think will make a major difference this year, and can potentially win the Buckeyes a game or two this season.
Continue reading...
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
I wish for nothing but good things for Kyle McCord, but Will Howard is an upgrade in almost every category.
We are going to pick out one moment from every single game that carries special significance. It can be a game-winning score, it can be a heart-warming moment, it can be something that speaks to a larger storyline for the Buckeyes. Relive the season via the Moments of the Game.
This might not have been the most exciting play of the day — Jeremiah Smith’s touchdown, or one of Quinshon Judkins’ were more thrilling — but Will Howard’s second-quarter, six-yard touchdown run might be the most important. The Buckeyes’ first-year starting quarterback finished the game with 292 yards passing on 18-for-26 yards passing with one score through the air, and this ground score as well. Ohio State dominated Western Michigan in The Horseshoe by a score of 56-0.
Through two games, Kyle McCord has thrown for 735 yards and eight touchdowns for the Syracuse Orange, and — despite his and his dad’s salty exit from Columbus — I am happy for his success and hope that Cuse finds a way to contend for the ACC title.
But Howard is an upgrade at quarterback in nearly every imaginable way. His leadership is evident in press conferences and on the field, which is something that McCord just wasn’t able to achieve in Columbus. At OSU, you need a quarterback who can be a leader in both word and action. McCord’s personality never really allowed him to grab the mantle on the former, and I would say he got a B+ in the latter when factoring in on-field performance and off-field work ethic and leading by example.
I loved seeing, immediately after scoring this touchdown, Will ran toward the stands and gave the crowd an “O-H!” He just seems to be comfortable in his position as the leader of this team and as the center of attention for an entire fanbase. Of course, the absolutely loaded nature of this roster allows him to share the spotlight, but he is still the quarterback at Ohio State, arguably the most dissected position in all of college football. Howard seems to be at ease with that responsibility, while it never felt like it fit Kyle in quite the same way for whatever reason,
Then, Will’s on-field skill set is just so better suited for what Ohio State ants to do than Kyle’s. The latter is a fairly traditional, sit-in-the-pocket-and-throw QB while Howard has the ability to pick defenses apart from the pocket, he also can avoid pass rushers — which we saw him do multiple times tonight — and then he can do this. He can keep the ball, avoid multiple defenders, and scamper into the end zone.
This is an extra dimension that Howard brings to the Buckeye offense that I think is going to be incredibly important throughout the season. Not only will they eventually play better defenses that will put him in situations where his legs will have to save plays, but the possibility of him keeping a ball on an RPO will likely freeze defenses — if even for a split second — and will change the way that defensive coordinators call plays and bring pressure.
Kyle, admittedly, probably still has a better arm and throws a better deep ball than Howard — he did miss an obvious touchdown connection to Jeremiah Smith — but as evidenced on other passes, the K-State transfer can put the ball on a dime when called for.
I wrote about it after Week 1, but I was thoroughly impressed with what OSU’s new starting quarterback did against Akron. It might not have been a perfect game — and neither was this one, honestly — but the diversity of ways that he can make plays is something that I think will make a major difference this year, and can potentially win the Buckeyes a game or two this season.
Continue reading...