Apparently Will Howard Was the Weak Link for Ohio State

In the wake of the Ohio State Buckeyes' crushing loss to the Michigan Wolverines, it's looking like Will Howard may have been the weak link for Ohio State all along.

Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard (18) leaves the game after a hit from Michigan Wolverines defensive back Makari Paige (7) during the first half of the NCAA football game at Ohio Stadium in Columbus on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. Howard returned a few plays later. / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Going into the season, many were wondering just how anyone could beat this Ohio State Buckeyes team. Ohio State appeared to be the most talented team in the country on paper, and it was looking like a sure bet to at least reach the national championship game.

There was just one lingering question: the quarterback position.

Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day didn't officially name a starting signal-caller until shortly before the regular season began. Will Howard was the expectation all along, but the fact that it took Day so long to make things set in stone was definitely strange for a title contender.

Most Ohio State fans figured that if there was one thing that stood between their squad and a championship, it was Howard, who transferred over from Kansas State after a rather pedestrian 2023 campaign.

But considering how maligned Kyle McCord was during his stay in Columbus, the Buckeyes faithful figured that Howard had to be an upgrade.

After the senior's performance against the Michigan Wolverines on Saturday, you really have to wonder if that were ever the case.

Howard went just 19-for-33 with 175 yards, a touchdown and a couple of interceptions in Ohio State's devastating 13-10 loss, one that could—and probably will—prevent the Buckeyes from reaching the Big Ten championship game. It will also seriously mess with their ranking in the College Football Playoffs.

Both of Howard's picks in the defeat were critical, and he failed to ever truly establish himself on an afternoon in which Ohio State was a 21.5-point favorite.

From a numbers perspective, Howard has looked great this year. But perhaps his gaudy statistics have had a heck of a lot more to do with his outstanding supporting talent than his actual skill.

There have been multiple instances this season where Howard looked questionable, but because the Buckeyes kept winning, many ignored them.

Still, all along, you could kind of sense that something just wasn't right with Howard, who was never considered an elite quarterback prospect. Heck, it took Day up until the very end of the offseason to officially announce him as the starter for a reason.

No one expecting Howard to be Cam Ward, but the uncertainty surrounding Ohio State's situation under center was always looming, and against the Buckeyes' fiercest rival in the season finale on Saturday, it reared its ugly head.

Perhaps Howard really was the weak link all along, just like fans and media pundits anticipated during the preseason.