QB1 Will Howard (Official Thread)

[Captain Buckeye]

So happy we have Will… just been outstanding through two games.

his biggest attribute is his decision making I think. He doesn’t make a ton of errors on when to give, when to pull, who to throw to, and when to throw it away.

We haven’t really seen him pick up first downs with his legs yet but I’d imagine that’ll come when the defenses get better.

 

[RB07OSU]

So happy we have Will… just been outstanding through two games.

his biggest attribute is his decision making I think. He doesn’t make a ton of errors on when to give, when to pull, who to throw to, and when to throw it away.

We haven’t really seen him pick up first downs with his legs yet but I’d imagine that’ll come when the defenses get better.

On the bolded, I am really glad he hasn't had to run much and not get injured. We will need his legs down the stretch, so we just need his health in the meantime. Plus he is getting the job done throwing the ball and the pass protection looks better so far.

 

[ScriptOhio]

Breaking Down Will Howard’s Performance in Ohio State’s Dominant Win Over Western Michigan​

Will Howard built on his success from his Ohio State debut and was even better in Week 2.

Granted, the Buckeyes will go against much better competition in Big Ten play, but Howard continued to improve in his second game with OSU. In Ohio State's dominant 56-0 win over Western Michigan on Saturday, the fifth-year senior completed 18-of-26 passes for 292 yards and a touchdown in just over three quarters.

After starting slow and eventually finding his groove in the second half in the first game of the season, it was the opposite for Howard this past weekend. He completed each of his first 10 passes for 177 yards and a touchdown to begin the game. Ohio State scored a touchdown on five of its first six possessions.

"I like to get early completions and easy completions and I think we did a good job of getting me a couple of just easy completions and just letting the guys facilitate and getting the ball out of my hand," Howard said. "I think the first one I probably could have just gave to Trey and let him run, but it's all good. And I think we started off really fast, got some good plays and were able to move the ball down the field well."
Howard then completed eight of his final 16 attempts, a stretch that included no more than two completions in a row. That said, three of his incompletions were on plays where he scrambled out of pressure and threw it away and another was on an attempted pass that slipped out of his hand.

To dive into how Howard performed in Ohio State's blowout shutout win over Western Michigan, we charted all 26 of his passing attempts in the game. (Note: The passing chart is categorized by how many yards the quarterback threw the ball in the air past the line of scrimmage on each attempt and whether the ball reached its target inside or outside the hashes, though the stats listed include yards gained after the catch on each completion.)

Much like they did in Week 1 against Akron, Kelly, Day and Howard continued to utilize Howard’s ability as a play-action passer in Week 2. In 2023, he completed 65-of-103 passes (63.1%) for 973 yards (9.4 yards per attempt), 15 touchdowns and four interceptions on 108 play-action dropbacks. Against Western Michigan, he completed 11-of-13 passes (84.6%) for 180 yards (13.8 yards per attempt) and a touchdown in play action. Comparatively, he completed 7-of-13 passes (53.8%) for 112 yards (8.6 yards per attempt) with no play action.

“Will's had a good demeanor. You can see the effect he can have in the pass game. You can see the effect that he can have with his feet,” Ryan Day said after the game. “I thought he threw some nice play-action passes tonight, a couple from under center. And to see Jeremiah catch that pass and run, you see the one that Carnell had last week, catch and run, those balls are all on time and they're on the money. And those guys are tremendously talented and do a good job of running after the catch. But a big part of running after the catch is timing and location of throws and accuracy. So, you know, he deserves credit on that. I think he did a good job out of the pocket on a couple of play-action passes that were well-designed. So a good day for Will.”
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Just sayin': Great article/analysis of Howard's performance. If he just gets better every week, Ohio State could easily go all the way, etc.

 

[Bestbuck36]

Could have easily had 500 yards and 5 touchdowns like some of these other QBs that need to stay in the game. Instead we got TDs from the backups and played to the 4th freaking string! If he manages us to 12 straight wins by halftime and doesn't get much run in the second halves, he'd still maybe be the best single season QB in OSU history. That would be a dream.

 

[ScriptOhio]

Howard describes himself as a film junkie. "Sometimes I watch a little film in class. I like to watch film every day, no matter what it is. ... I love the game of football and I love the chess game that it is. I love how much strategy goes into it."

Just sayin': I don't think that I would have admitted that....

 

[Captain Buckeye]

Howard describes himself as a film junkie. "Sometimes I watch a little film in class. I like to watch film every day, no matter what it is. ... I love the game of football and I love the chess game that it is. I love how much strategy goes into it."

Just sayin': I don't think that I would have admitted that....

I think we all know these kids are here for football lol

 

[ScriptOhio]

I think we all know these kids are here for football lol

Yeah, but the student athletes still shouldn't be saying anything that would give anyone the idea that they aren't 100% committed to the academic side of college too. Now, not nearly as bad as saying you sometimes watch football film in a class; but remember all the negative publicity Cardale Jones got his tweet?

 

[OregonBuckeye]

Yeah, but the student athletes still shouldn't be saying anything that would give anyone the idea that they aren't 100% committed to the academic side of college too. Now, not nearly as bad as saying you sometimes watch football film in a class; but remember all the negative publicity Cardale Jones got his tweet?

Ehh, it's really a non-issue. A huge portion of regular students aren't 100% committed to the academic side of college either. Quinn Ewers even joked about it in his Sundae Conversation interview

 

[brodybuck21]

Ohio State Quarterback Will Howard Watches Film Throughout the Day, Loves "Chess Game" of Football​

By Andy Anders on September 17, 2024 at 6:20 pm @andyanders55

• OSU Football

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There are a lot of ways college students distract themselves during a professor's lecture.
While some remain locked in on taking notes and listening, others might text friends, set fantasy football lineups or check sports scores, play a game on their phone or laptop, scroll through social media – there are many ways to not pay attention to something in the digital age.
Will Howard doesn't use any of those vices when he wants to take his mind off the teacher for a moment or two. Instead, he pulls up some film.
"Yeah, 100 percent," Howard said when asked if he's a film junkie. "I love watching film. I always have. This semester, I have class at night and – don't tell my professors, but sometimes I watch a little a little film in class. I just love to watch film every day, whatever it is."

With all the responsibility Howard holds in Ohio State's offense, whether it's typical quarterbacking or the added decision-making that goes with RPO and option run looks, his amount of and love for gaining more game knowledge is a strength the Buckeyes can weaponize as they stand 11 days from Big Ten play.
"Will continues to grow every day," Chip Kelly said. "That's one thing I love about him. He's a lifelong learner. He comes in here every day really hungry about, 'How do I get a little bit better every day?' I think last week he did improve from Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday in training sessions."

Ohio State Quarterback Will Howard Watches Film Throughout the Day, Loves "Chess Game" of Football

Will Howard is a self-described film junkie who finds it "really fun" to dive into the "chess game" of football and look for opponents' weaknesses.

www.elevenwarriors.com

 

[RB07OSU]

Ohio State Quarterback Will Howard Watches Film Throughout the Day, Loves "Chess Game" of Football​

By Andy Anders on September 17, 2024 at 6:20 pm @andyanders55

• OSU Football

Email this ArticleShare on RedditShare on TwitterShare on Facebook
27 Comments
There are a lot of ways college students distract themselves during a professor's lecture.
While some remain locked in on taking notes and listening, others might text friends, set fantasy football lineups or check sports scores, play a game on their phone or laptop, scroll through social media – there are many ways to not pay attention to something in the digital age.
Will Howard doesn't use any of those vices when he wants to take his mind off the teacher for a moment or two. Instead, he pulls up some film.
"Yeah, 100 percent," Howard said when asked if he's a film junkie. "I love watching film. I always have. This semester, I have class at night and – don't tell my professors, but sometimes I watch a little a little film in class. I just love to watch film every day, whatever it is."

With all the responsibility Howard holds in Ohio State's offense, whether it's typical quarterbacking or the added decision-making that goes with RPO and option run looks, his amount of and love for gaining more game knowledge is a strength the Buckeyes can weaponize as they stand 11 days from Big Ten play.
"Will continues to grow every day," Chip Kelly said. "That's one thing I love about him. He's a lifelong learner. He comes in here every day really hungry about, 'How do I get a little bit better every day?' I think last week he did improve from Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday in training sessions."

Ohio State Quarterback Will Howard Watches Film Throughout the Day, Loves "Chess Game" of Football

Will Howard is a self-described film junkie who finds it "really fun" to dive into the "chess game" of football and look for opponents' weaknesses.

www.elevenwarriors.com

Love that Will, but maybe don't tell the media that lol. Now the professors will be watching you. Watch your film in silence my guy.

 

[ScriptOhio]

Film Study: Evaluating Will Howard's Progress in the Dropback Passing Game Through His First Two Starts at Ohio State

So far, Will Howard has shown great command of his new offense. However, there is still one area worth monitoring.

www.elevenwarriors.com

Film Study: Evaluating Will Howard's Progress in the Drop-back Passing Game Through His First Two Starts at Ohio State​

Ohio State fans have grown accustomed to a high standard of play at the quarterback position.

Throughout the program's illustrious history, the most decorated Buckeye signal-callers tended to do as much (or more) damage with their feet as their arms. Or at least that was the case until Ryan Day came to town.

The occasional Bobby Hoying, Joe Germaine, or Troy Smith standout season was the exception, even in fairly recent history, as the likes of Terrelle Pryor, Braxton Miller, and J.T. Barrett scared opponents more when the ball stayed in their hands compared to when it was thrown.

Of course, since Day's arrival in 2017, virtually every OSU passing record has been rewritten by quarterbacks who now expect to hear their names called in the first round of the NFL draft. Those expectations have extended to fans of the program as well, who were disappointed by Kyle McCord's 2023 season, despite it being just the eighth time in 133 years during which a Buckeye eclipsed the 3,000-yard passing mark.

His replacement, Will Howard, certainly appears poised to have the ninth such season, already amassing 520 yards in two games. The Kansas State transfer has seemed to fit in well with Day and new coordinator/QB coach, Chip Kelly, refreshing an Ohio State offense that ranked just 48th in total yards last fall.

Howard's leadership on and off the field has been unmistakable, handling media duties and commanding the huddle with relative ease. Additionally, his massive frame and athletic ability have added a missing element to the Buckeye run game, re-introducing an option element not seen with such regularity since Barrett was under center in 2017.

As a passer, his command of the RPO game has been excellent, making quick reads and distributing the ball accurately, sometimes making as many as four decisions for where to go with the ball on a single play (as detailed in last week's Film Study). However, while his performance in the traditional, drop-back passing game has offered plenty of highlights just the same, there is some reason to keep an eye on that part of his game.

Thus far, the Buckeyes' only two opponents have been from the MAC, offering little resistance against the superior talent at virtually every position, but especially at wide receiver. Brian Hartline's room has continually beaten defenders one-on-one while finding the open windows in zone coverage, making Howard's job easy.

During the vast majority of Howard's designed dropbacks in the first two weeks, his primary receiver has been wide-open, allowing him to throw darts with confidence. As we see from this post route to Jeremiah Smith off a play-action fake below, Howard has often been able to drop back, identify his primary read, see a scarlet jersey with no one nearby, and fire a strike for a big gain.



However, as C.J. Stroud showed us all in the Sugar Bowl against Georgia two seasons ago, a good quarterback can throw a nice ball to his first read. But a great quarterback can progress through multiple reads to find an open man.

For Ohio State to achieve its goal of winning the first 12-team playoff this season, Howard will need to be great.

Of course, it's not a knock on Howard that his first read has consistently come open against Akron and Western Michigan, and he should be recognized for taking advantage of so many such opportunities. However, on the rare occasions in which his first read has not come open, Howard has looked like a different player - one lacking confidence in both his physical abilities and the structure of the concept he's being asked to execute.

For example, the concept below in the opening game against Akron saw a concept that has been a staple within Day's system for years, creating a triangle read into the boundary with a high/low concept and a shallow crossing route.

Howard correctly identifies his read key, which is the movement of the boundary cornerback, to see if he defends the arrow route from the running back or the deep corner from the tight end. When Howard sees that the cornerback takes on the arrow route, he looks to the tight end, only to see the safety has covered up that route as well, meaning the QB must work to the third point in the triangle, Brandon Innis running a shallow crossing route.

As Howard resets his feet toward Innis' crossing route, he sees the middle linebacker nearby, forcing him to reset once more and look back to the middle of the field. Luckily, the play is timed up to have Carnell Tate breaking open over the middle of the field against such coverage, attacking the space that the linebacker just vacated and providing Howard with a relatively easy target.

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[ScriptOhio]

Breaking Down Will Howard’s Performance in Ohio State’s Dominant Win Over Marshall

Will Howard completed 80% of his passes, the second-best mark of his career as a starter, with 234 yards and two touchdowns coming on play action against Marshall.

www.elevenwarriors.com

Breaking Down Will Howard’s Performance in Ohio State’s Dominant Win Over Marshall​

Will Howard was on point against Marshall in the Shoe on Saturday.

In just three quarters plus three plays of work during Ohio State's blowout win over Thundering Herd, Howard continued to improve his efficiency as a passer early on as a Buckeye, becoming more comfortable in OSU's system and gaining more chemistry with his playmakers as he continues to garner snaps behind center in Columbus.

Against the Thundering Herd, Howard completed 16-of-20 passes for 275 yards, two touchdowns and an interception, his first of the season. He improved his completion percentage for a third straight game to begin his Ohio State career. The fifth-year senior's 80% completion rate was the second-best of his career as a starter, behind only his 88.2% clip when he completed 15-of-17 passes for Kansas State against Houston on Nov. 28, 2023.

Like his start in the Buckeyes' last game against Western Michigan two weeks prior, Howard started hot against the Thundering Herd. He completed each of his first four passes and 11 of his first 12 attempts, with the lone incompletion being his first interception of the season. He never threw multiple incompletions in a row over the course of the game.

To take a closer look at how Howard performed in Ohio State's win over Marshall, we charted all 20 of his passing attempts in the game. (Note: The passing chart is categorized by how many yards the quarterback threw the ball in the air past the line of scrimmage on each attempt and whether the ball reached its target inside or outside the hashes, though the stats listed include yards gained after the catch on each completion.)

Ryan Day, Chip Kelly and Howard continued to utilize the play-action and RPO game heavily against Marshall, which Howard has been very good at early on. While there is certainly a difference between play action and RPO, both have been used to Ohio State's advantage so far and will continue to be the rest of the season.

Against Marshall, play action being a favorite of Kelly's playcalling and a part of Howard's game that he excels at were obvious.

Of Howard's 20 throws against the Thundering Herd, 14 of them came off of play action. He completed 11 of 14 (78.6%) of those passes for 234 yards (16.7 yards per attempt), two touchdowns and an interception. Meanwhile, with no play action, Howard completed five of six passes (83.3%) for 41 yards (6.8 yards per attempt). It was Howard's first time as a Buckeye that he threw more passes with play action than not.

Through three games this season, Howard has now completed 30 of 39 passes (76.9%) for 555 yards (14.2 yards per attempt), five touchdowns and an interception with play action (51.3% of dropbacks). Comparatively, he has completed 21 of 35 passes (60%) for 240 yards (6.9 yards per attempt) and a touchdown with no play action (48.7% of dropbacks).

Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson's dominance in the rushing game has certainly played a part in Howard having so much success in the play-action game, but the opposite can be said as well.

Will Howard's Passing Efficiency in Play Action vs. Non-Play Action (via PFF)

Play Action	Non-Play Action
vs. Akron	8/12 (66.7%), 141 yards (11.8 per attempt), 2 TDs	9/16 (56.3%), 87 yards (5.4 per attempt), 87 yards, 1 TD
vs. western michigan	11/13 (84.6%), 180 yards (13.8 per attempt), 1 TD	7/13 (53.8%), 112 yards (8.6 per attempt)
vs. marshall	11/14 (78.6%), 234 yards (16.7 per attempt), 2 TDs, 1 INT	5/6 (83.3%), 41 yards (6.8 per attempt)
2024 season	30/39 (76.9%), 555 yards (14.2 per attempt), 5 TDs, 1 INT	21/35 (60%), 240 yards (6.9 per attempt), 1 TD
2023 season At Kansas state	66/104 (63.5%), 976 yards (9.4 per attempt), 16 TDs, 4 INTs	152/254 (59.8%), 1,654 yards (6.5 per attempt), 7 TDs, 6 INTs

Whether it was part of the game plan or just the fact that Howard was taking advantage of what Marshall was giving him, the 6-foot-4, 235-pounder took advantage of the Thundering Herd's soft coverage on the outside. After attempting 11 passes behind the line of scrimmage the first two games of the season, Howard completed all eight of his passes in that area of the field for 109 yards and a touchdown, including a 68-yard catch-and-run by Emeka Egbuka. The type of throws where Howard just gets the ball outside to OSU's elite group of wideouts and allows them to make plays as much as possible.

"I think my two touchdown passes were a screen and a slam today, and they were both for over 45 to 68 yards," Howard said of his short passes leading to long touchdowns. "It's awesome when I can just let those guys go get the YAC and do the rest. Again, it makes my job easy."

He also excelled on throws from 0-9 yards (six of nine, 111 yards and a touchdown) and 10-19 yards beyond the line of scrimmage (three of three, 55 yards) against Marshall, much like he did the first two games of the season.

That said, he continued to struggle throwing the ball 20-plus yards, throwing an interception in his only attempt. He has also not attempted a pass between the hashes more than 20 yards downfield this season.

Even with that, Howard still has a better completion percentage on deep throws this season than he had at Kansas State last season, while his completion rate on throws within nine yards of the line of scrimmage is lower so far.

Will Howard's Efficiency at Different Passing Depths This Season Compared to 2023

DEPTH (YARDS)	2024	2023
20+	3/8 (37.5%), 116 yards, 1 INT	15/46 (32.6%), 452 yards, 6 TDs, 4 INTs
10-19	12/17 (70.6%), 220 yards, 2 TDs	43/78 (55.1%), 789 yards, 6 TDs, 4 INTs
0-9	20/31 (64.5%), 298 yards, 3 TDs	117/159 (73.6%), 1,043 yards, 7 TDs, 2 INTs
Behind los	16/18 (88.9%), 161 yards, 1 TD	43/46 (93.5%), 346 yards, 4 TDs

Howard completed 5-of-6 passes for 162 yards and two touchdowns when the Thundering Herd blitzed and 16-of-19 passes for 275 yards, two touchdowns and an interception when the pocket was clean. His only pass under pressure fell incomplete, however, and he has now completed just 1-of-9 passes for eight yards under pressure this season.

Will Howard Under Pressure in 2024 Compared to 2023 (via PFF)

PRESSURE	2024	2023
KEPT CLEAN	50/65 (76.9%), 787 yards, 6 TDs, 1 INT	172/256 (67.2%), 2,075 yards, 15 TDs, 6 INTs
UNDER PRESSURE	1/9 (11.1%), 8 yards	46/102 (45.1%), 555 yards, 8 TDs, 4 INTs
NOT BLITZED	34/49 (69.4%), 431 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT	135/224 (60.3%), 1,565 yards, 10 TDs, 8 INTs
BLITZED	17/25 (68%), 364 yards. 5 TDs	83/134 (61.9%), 1,065 yards, 13 TDs, 2 INTs

In yet another blowout win early this season, Devin Brown received some late-game snaps for a third consecutive game for Ohio State, completing two of six passes for 14 yards.

Below, we take a look at two throws that Howard would love to have back. While he completed 80% of his passes, there were no real highlight-reel attempts as his two touchdowns both came with long runs after the catch by Egbuka and Jeremiah Smith.
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