Former Kansas State quarterback Will Howard did not diss USC or Miami while explaining his decision to transfer to Ohio State. However, his comments about the Buckeyes were rather telling when it comes to his opinion of the Trojans and Hurricanes.
By saying one thing about one program, it also reflects back on the other suitors!
Howard, a former three-star recruit, played four years with the Wildcats. He ultimately chose to depart from the program, in part because true freshman Avery Johnson creeped in on his snaps on a senior.
The separation was largely mutual.
Howard entered the transfer portal prior to the Pop-Tarts Bowl while considering entry into the NFL Draft pool. Multiple schools reached out to recruit his services.
Miami, USC and Ohio State were the top-three options. Howard visited all three programs.
It appeared as though Lincoln Riley and the Trojans were leading the charge for awhile. They were trending toward a commitment until Ryan Day and the Buckeyes swooped in. Mario Cristobal and the Hurricanes never really seemed to be in the mix.
Howard’s decision came down to two things:
- Development
- An opportunity to win a national championship
He spoke with ESPN about the commitment to Ohio State on Thursday — which actually leaves more questions than answers. The comments were rather telling.
The goal I have, I want to go win a national championship. At the end of the day, I want to go be a starting quarterback in the NFL […]
I feel like the best place to stick as a quarterback in the NFL is as a first- or second-round pick in the NFL draft. Going to Ohio State gives me a chance to make a jump and leap into that conversation.
— Will Howard, via ESPN
Again, it is what Howard didn’t say. His belief that the Buckeyes are best set up to compete for a national championship implies that he does not feel the same way about the other two schools. The same can be said for his future.
If USC or Miami offered him the best chance to leave college football as a national champion and set him up to be a first or second round draft pick, Howard would have committed to Miami or USC. Right?
As for the on-field component to sport, Ohio State’s new signal-caller vibed best with Day.
Talking to Coach Day about the scheme, I got excited. Kansas State is very pro-style and gets you ready for the pros better than most programs in the country. I didn’t want to lose any of that momentum.
When Coach Day and I met and went through the scheme, I’m a total football nerd and talk ball all day. We hit it off in that way. I knew that was the system that would get me the most prepared for that level.
— Will Howard, via ESPN
What does that say about Riley and Cristobal? Howard essentially insinuated that he would “lose momentum” at either of their programs. He would have committed to play for the Trojans or Hurricanes if he felt differently.
Only time will tell if Howard made the right decision!