Mike Milano knew Will Howard was able to take over because the beginning quarterback of Downingtown West Excessive College as a sophomore. However there was a roadblock on the best way to creating that call.
Milano, a head coach for greater than 30 years in Pennsylvania, had a returning senior beginning quarterback. Regardless of being certain Howard was the man for the job, Milano tried to make the quarterback competitors as at the same time as he may. The teaching employees tracked all the pieces all through the offseason, from spring practices to summer time exercises and 7-on-7.
When the pads had been placed on, Milano made it recognized that Howard received the job. Nonetheless, he was anxious about what that may do to the group. Would the seniors embrace Howard as a frontrunner?
“It took one quarter for Will to win all these youngsters over,” Milano mentioned.
There was no particular play or secret to what Howard did at Downingtown West that helped the remainder of his teammates embrace him so shortly. It’s extra of what he did every day, Milano mentioned.
“It’s simply who he’s,” he mentioned. “They are going to know he’s all in and never a egocentric child.”
Howard has been thrown into an identical place as a newcomer six years later. A graduate switch at Ohio State, Howard is getting into one of the crucial necessary offseasons of his profession. He’s turning into the quarterback of a group with nationwide championship expectations, one thing that wasn’t the case at Kansas State, the place he began 27 video games over 4 seasons. He additionally has only one 12 months left to solidify his standing as an NFL Draft prospect.
THE Ohio State College.
Thanks God!! pic.twitter.com/FTVlrYEaZK
— Will Howard (@whoward_) January 5, 2024
Earlier than he can do any of that, he has to win over the locker room and training employees.
Ohio State coach Ryan Day typically says crucial factor about being the quarterback of the Buckeyes is the management that begins with January exercises.
“An enormous a part of taking part in quarterback here’s what goes on in that weight room, the management and the best way that guys work, it’s important to construct credibility up amongst your teammates,” Day mentioned. “I believe Will is doing that.”
As he continues to acclimate himself to his teammates and new metropolis, his focus will flip to working with new offensive coordinator Chip Kelly after a whirlwind first month in Columbus. Howard dedicated to Ohio State on Jan. 4. Day named Invoice O’Brien offensive coordinator on Jan. 19. O’Brien’s keep didn’t final lengthy, as he landed the pinnacle teaching job at Boston School final week. In his place, Ohio State introduced in Kelly, who left the pinnacle teaching job at UCLA to name performs for Day, his former pupil at New Hampshire.
Kelly is thought for his offensive thoughts. And that’s what Milano, who knew Kelly when he was recruiting Pennsylvania as the pinnacle coach at New Hampshire, instructed Howard once they talked after Kelly was employed.
“I instructed Will, (Kelly) is without doubt one of the brightest and nicest guys I spoke with,” Milano mentioned.
Howard, by all accounts, is a multi-faceted match for the Buckeyes. No, he won’t be the flashy switch that Justin Fields was, however he’s confirmed his capability to steer a group together with his fiery aggressive spirit, excessive IQ and flexibility on the sphere.
GO DEEPER
May Chip Kelly deliver nation’s finest run recreation to Ohio State? 5 ideas on Buckeyes new OC
Howard was a sizzling commodity popping out of the eighth grade.
Pennsylvania has a number of sturdy personal faculty soccer packages, and so they recruited Howard out of center faculty. So when Milano sat down with Howard and his father, Bob, he felt prefer it was nearly a recruiting go to.
“His dad was feeling me out about multiple-sport athletes and this system,” Milano mentioned.
The employees was thrilled when Howard determined to remain within the public faculty system as a substitute of going the personal route.
“He wished to play with the children he grew up with,” Milano mentioned.
Nonetheless, the employees didn’t know precisely what that they had in Howard. He appeared the half, at the same time as a freshman. He was 6 toes 1, a formidable runner and a wise participant who may learn the entire area.
“I do know it’s cliche, however as a quarterback, Will had ‘it,’” Milano mentioned. “The measurables — and he was a wise child and a cultured high quality particular person, at the same time as a younger man.”
That was on full show throughout his junior 12 months. It was Howard’s second because the full-time starter, and his school recruitment was anticipated to choose up. However six video games into the season, he broke his arm in opposition to Coatesville.
The group needed to pivot shortly if it had hopes of placing collectively a playoff run, so it moved senior linebacker Ryan Wetzel to quarterback. As Wetzel adjusted to his new place, Milano mentioned his finest coach was Howard. They talked continually about Wetzel’s new position and tasks beneath heart for the Whippets.
Downingtown West went on to win 5 consecutive video games with Howard on the bench.
“He was one of the best coach on the employees,” Milano mentioned. “He’s the last word group man. Watching him lead this group with a forged on his arm epitomizes to me who he’s.”
Will Howard led Kansas State to the Large 12 title in 2022. (Jerome Miron / USA At present)
Milano wasn’t the one one that seen these intangibles.
Vernard Abrams, Howard’s personal quarterback coach, performed at La Salle beneath present Wisconsin offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Phil Longo. He met Howard the spring earlier than his sophomore 12 months and seen Howard’s management immediately.
Expertise apart, who Howard was behind the scenes is one thing that Kansas State cherished as properly, he mentioned.
“Kansas State did extra homework than, ‘OK, he threw it 75 yards,’” Abrams mentioned. “He does an awesome job finding out his system and he’s a child who’s aggressive and hungry to be one of the best. So long as you will have the sources round him to soak up it he’s a sponge.”
GO DEEPER
Why Will Howard’s Ohio State transfer differed from Caleb Downs’, plus extra switch takeaways
Every part that Howard is off the sphere helped him step in every time Kansas State wanted him. He led the Wildcats to their first Large 12 title in a decade in 2022 and completed his Kansas State profession as a second-team All-Large 12 honoree in 2023. In complete, he accomplished 58.8 % of his passes for five,786 yards, 48 touchdowns and 25 interceptions with 921 yards and 19 touchdowns speeding. Nonetheless, he spent a lot of his time there in a battle to win or maintain the quarterback job.
“He wasn’t thrilled about the way it all went,” Milano mentioned. “He felt like he needed to re-win it yearly, however he stayed and fought. In a day and age when youngsters get within the portal early, Will Howard by no means did.”
Howard’s switch course of could be summarized as a participant who was able to guess on himself for an additional 12 months of eligibility obtainable due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
He was prepared to go to the NFL if he didn’t find yourself at Ohio State, but it surely was related in some methods to his highschool recruitment. Early on, Ivy League colleges had been excessive on Howard’s checklist, Abrams mentioned.
“He knew the massive image was, ‘I get to play ball and if I’m adequate they’ll discover me and I can get an awesome schooling,’” Abrams mentioned. “His household was so good about doing their very own analysis and coach Milano gave him good recommendation. He had a superb village round him.”
As he recovered from his damaged arm, some Energy 5 colleges jumped aboard as soon as they might see him throw. He thought he was able to commit to at least one Energy 5 faculty after a go to. Milano, who avoided naming the college, mentioned Howard was instructed he had two days after the go to to decide about his supply. At some point handed and the college referred to as him and instructed him the supply was gone. Anyone else dedicated and took his spot.
That left Howard looking for someplace to go, so he began sending movie to extra school coaches. Kansas State was an attractive choice after what the teaching employees did with Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz at North Dakota State. Howard despatched movie, and quarterbacks coach Collin Klein bought in contact.
It was a superb match, but additionally an instance of how a lot Howard refused to settle.
As a switch, Howard didn’t should seek for colleges this time round. In a full-circle second, his feedback in highschool had been proper. Faculties discovered him, realizing he was adequate to win.
GO DEEPER
What does Will Howard deliver to Ohio State? Breaking down his strengths and weaknesses
On movie, Howard isn’t an ideal quarterback prospect, however he has his strengths. His legs are a giant a part of that, as he strikes properly for a 6-foot-5, 240-pound quarterback and makes use of them when he must. He additionally has a superb arm. He’s not a quarterback who’s going to throw 100 miles per hour each throw, both; his movie reveals he has good contact.
“I believe he has a superb really feel for house and timing,” Abrams mentioned. “If in case you have a man beneath the receiver, he is aware of how you can layer it and drive the ball with tempo.”
The NFL scouts he talked to within the pre-draft course of instructed Howard they wanted to see extra movie of him earlier than he went to the subsequent stage. They wished to see extra of these big-time throws and choices he could make on the sphere. That’s the place a coach like Kelly suits Howard completely, Abrams mentioned.
Although Kelly is named a run-heavy coach, the combination of large receiver and working again expertise at Ohio State and Kelly’s offensive thoughts is just going to assist.
Combine that with Kelly’s inventive capability to get quarterbacks in house for his or her arm and legs, and Abrams mentioned it’s an ideal match.
“With the ability to get the ball to your proficient receivers in house, being inventive with movement and taking strain off the quarterback as a result of he has the ball in house, I believe that’s actually good,” Abrams mentioned. “Now he will get to showcase his passing capability. You search for what’s going to offer you a complimentary look to his resume and I believe that is like, ‘What good alternative to be in a scenario the place he’ll have the ability to spray the ball all around the area and provides him the learn stuff he’s in a position to do.’”
Earlier than Howard can do all of that on Saturdays, he must formally win the job this offseason in a crowded quarterback room with Devin Brown and Lincoln Kienholz again and five-star freshmen Air Noland and Julian Sayin stepping in. However the evaluations thus far says he’s an awesome match for what Ohio State wants at quarterback.
Perhaps he received’t turn out to be a prime decide within the NFL Draft, however that hasn’t fazed him since he was in highschool. He simply finds a solution to lead and win.
(Prime photograph: Scott Sewell / USA At present)
