Josh Dooley
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Will Howard was the right choice for Ohio State at quarterback
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Buckeyes wouldn’t have been better with a QB who put up insane stats playing glorified 7-on-7 ball this season.
First off, yes, I believe that Ohio State is far better off with Will Howard than it was or would have been with Kyle McCord. I will make my case momentarily. Secondly, I’m not hating on McCord here, the sub-headline is simply an accurate depiction of the games in which the former Buckeye participated this season.
McCord and Syracuse faced exactly one top-50 pass defense (PYPG allowed) while avoiding SMU and Clemson in the ACC. But because Fran Brown’s team was often involved in shootouts, and rarely in a position to rest or sit starters, McCord never came off the field and attempted more passes than any other quarterback in the country. The former Buckeye put up huge stats thanks in no small part to his 558 (!) passing attempts, but were those gaudy numbers really just empty calories?
Maybe, maybe not. I’m sure fans of the Orange didn’t and don’t care. Nor should they.
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Photo by Bryan Bennett/Getty Images
But let’s get back to OSU’s current signal caller and the question at hand. Was Howard a better option — for this team — than McCord would have been? How about Cam Ward or Riley Leonard? Well, despite what the trio of McCord/Ward/Riley was able to accomplish this season, I believe that Ryan Day and co. absolutely made the right choice when choosing this year’s QB. And this belief is derived from — or influenced by — far more than just Howard’s on-field performance. The former Kansas State Wildcat has provided incredible leadership and gives this team a substantial upgrade in the intangible department.
Of course that doesn’t mean that I don’t care about Howard’s play, by the way. Stats matter, just like stars matter. So let me make myself crystal clear: If teammates and coaches loved Howard but he stunk out loud, I would be first in line to buy him a bus or plane ticket out of Columbus.
Hell, I’m willing to sit here and say (write) that I believe his performance against TTUN was one of the primary reasons that Ohio State lost. But that is only one part of a very complicated equation.
There are so many other factors at play when assessing Howard’s status as OSU’s QB, especially when it comes to quarterback success and said QB influencing (or not influencing) his team’s success.
We know this because as fans of college football, we’ve all seen supremely talented QBs put up video game stats but fail in areas that matter most: Leading and lifting up those around them — which Howard seems very, very good at — and rising to the occasion when the game or season is on the line.
Until Saturday, Nov. 30, nothing that Howard had said or done had given me reason to doubt his ability to do the latter. Whereas last season... well, let’s just say things were different in that respect
Now, was I sold a false bill of goods? Should Buckeye Nation have seen Howard’s performance in The Game coming from a mile away? Again, maybe, maybe not. But one thing I’m damn sure of is the unequivocal fact that OSU coaches did not put their QB and team in the best position to win. Which is why I’m willing to give Howard some benefit of the doubt.
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Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images
Because all Howard has done since he arrived in Columbus is prepare and go about things the right way. He has carried himself like a leader; something or someone that Ohio State maybe, kinda, sorta lacked last season. But I’ll even hedge there by saying that it was obvious to anyone with eyeballs that Day and McCord did not have the best of relationships. This is why I’m not assigning blame on the ‘Cuse QB, but rather just voicing what I have witnessed.
Nobody knows if OSU would be a 10-2 playoff team (or better) with McCord this season. But along the same lines, did you have supreme confidence that things were trending in the right direction after last season? I’m guessing not.
Nonetheless, Howard is now leading the Buckeyes into the College Football Playoff, and I’m not sure that I would have it any other way. When it comes down to it, the divorce between McCord and Ohio State — as well as the pursuit and acquisition of Howard — seems to have benefited all. The former put up video game numbers, while the latter is preparing to chase a national title. So maybe we just leave it at that. Maybe all parties made the right choices, including, but not limited t,o OSU.
Or maybe McCord played Mickey Mouse football this season, Howard couldn’t handle the moment in a serious conference, and the Buckeyes were doomed either way... I dunno. Losing to TTUN sucks and makes me question everything. Damnit.
Anyway, Go Bucks!
Continue reading...
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Buckeyes wouldn’t have been better with a QB who put up insane stats playing glorified 7-on-7 ball this season.
First off, yes, I believe that Ohio State is far better off with Will Howard than it was or would have been with Kyle McCord. I will make my case momentarily. Secondly, I’m not hating on McCord here, the sub-headline is simply an accurate depiction of the games in which the former Buckeye participated this season.
McCord and Syracuse faced exactly one top-50 pass defense (PYPG allowed) while avoiding SMU and Clemson in the ACC. But because Fran Brown’s team was often involved in shootouts, and rarely in a position to rest or sit starters, McCord never came off the field and attempted more passes than any other quarterback in the country. The former Buckeye put up huge stats thanks in no small part to his 558 (!) passing attempts, but were those gaudy numbers really just empty calories?
Maybe, maybe not. I’m sure fans of the Orange didn’t and don’t care. Nor should they.
But let’s get back to OSU’s current signal caller and the question at hand. Was Howard a better option — for this team — than McCord would have been? How about Cam Ward or Riley Leonard? Well, despite what the trio of McCord/Ward/Riley was able to accomplish this season, I believe that Ryan Day and co. absolutely made the right choice when choosing this year’s QB. And this belief is derived from — or influenced by — far more than just Howard’s on-field performance. The former Kansas State Wildcat has provided incredible leadership and gives this team a substantial upgrade in the intangible department.
Of course that doesn’t mean that I don’t care about Howard’s play, by the way. Stats matter, just like stars matter. So let me make myself crystal clear: If teammates and coaches loved Howard but he stunk out loud, I would be first in line to buy him a bus or plane ticket out of Columbus.
Hell, I’m willing to sit here and say (write) that I believe his performance against TTUN was one of the primary reasons that Ohio State lost. But that is only one part of a very complicated equation.
There are so many other factors at play when assessing Howard’s status as OSU’s QB, especially when it comes to quarterback success and said QB influencing (or not influencing) his team’s success.
We know this because as fans of college football, we’ve all seen supremely talented QBs put up video game stats but fail in areas that matter most: Leading and lifting up those around them — which Howard seems very, very good at — and rising to the occasion when the game or season is on the line.
Until Saturday, Nov. 30, nothing that Howard had said or done had given me reason to doubt his ability to do the latter. Whereas last season... well, let’s just say things were different in that respect
Now, was I sold a false bill of goods? Should Buckeye Nation have seen Howard’s performance in The Game coming from a mile away? Again, maybe, maybe not. But one thing I’m damn sure of is the unequivocal fact that OSU coaches did not put their QB and team in the best position to win. Which is why I’m willing to give Howard some benefit of the doubt.
Because all Howard has done since he arrived in Columbus is prepare and go about things the right way. He has carried himself like a leader; something or someone that Ohio State maybe, kinda, sorta lacked last season. But I’ll even hedge there by saying that it was obvious to anyone with eyeballs that Day and McCord did not have the best of relationships. This is why I’m not assigning blame on the ‘Cuse QB, but rather just voicing what I have witnessed.
Nobody knows if OSU would be a 10-2 playoff team (or better) with McCord this season. But along the same lines, did you have supreme confidence that things were trending in the right direction after last season? I’m guessing not.
Nonetheless, Howard is now leading the Buckeyes into the College Football Playoff, and I’m not sure that I would have it any other way. When it comes down to it, the divorce between McCord and Ohio State — as well as the pursuit and acquisition of Howard — seems to have benefited all. The former put up video game numbers, while the latter is preparing to chase a national title. So maybe we just leave it at that. Maybe all parties made the right choices, including, but not limited t,o OSU.
Or maybe McCord played Mickey Mouse football this season, Howard couldn’t handle the moment in a serious conference, and the Buckeyes were doomed either way... I dunno. Losing to TTUN sucks and makes me question everything. Damnit.
Anyway, Go Bucks!
Continue reading...