The Key Difference Between Will Howard, Kyle McCord For Ohio State Buckeyes

New Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard is very different from Kyle McCord in one very important area.

Aug 31, 2024; Columbus, OH, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard (18) throws a pass over Akron Zips defensive lineman Kam Cheatom (22) during the first half of the NCAA football game at Ohio Stadium. / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

Will Howard made his Ohio State Buckeyes debut this past Saturday, leading the team to a 52-6 win over the Akron Zips in the season opener.

The Kansas State transfer is taking over under center for Kyle McCord, who transferred to Syracuse after a much-maligned 2023 campaign at Ohio State—unfair or not.

Howard went 17-for-28 with 228 yards and three touchdowns against Akron, including a pair of touchdown tosses to freshman wide receiver Jeremiah Smith.

But one thing in particular stood out to Cameron Teague Robinson of The Athletic: Howard's mobility.

McCord is certainly not a very athletic quarterback, as evidenced by the fact that he totaled minus-65 yards on the ground last season.

Meanwhile, Howard rushed for 351 yards and nine touchdowns in 2023, and in his inaugural game with the Buckeyes, he carried the ball four times for 18 yards and displayed an eye-opening ability to throw on the run.

"The biggest difference in Ohio State’s offense this season is Howard’s mobility," Robinson wrote. "McCord had a strong arm, but he couldn’t move out of the pocket the way Howard does. Howard’s legs will stress defenses in a variety of ways."

Robinson noted how Ohio State specifically designed runs for Howard in Week 1, explicitly referencing Howard's 8-yard run in the first quarter and a quarterback snack, a rare occurrence from a Ryan Day-coached team.

There were a lot of questions about Howard going into 2024, as his final season at Kansas State was not incredibly impressive. But perhaps the far superior supporting cast Howard has at his disposal in Columbus will elevate his game to another level.

Ohio State will host Western Michigan on Saturday evening.