Ohio State Buckeyes' Coach Declares Massive Goal For Will Howard

Ohio State Buckeyes offensive coordinator Chip Kelly has set some pretty heavy expectations for quarterback Will Howard moving forward.

Sep 28, 2024; East Lansing, Michigan, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard (18) runs the ball against the Michigan State Spartans in the first half at Spartan Stadium on Saturday. / Samantha Madar/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard is off to an impressive start over his first few games in Columbus, but he still has some major hurdles to clear.

Ohio State just started Big Ten play this past Saturday, and while it routed the Michigan State Spartans, much tougher challenges are ahead.

So, what does Howard need to do in order to best improve going forward?

Buckeyes offensive coordinator Chip Kelly provided the answer.

“Complete every pass,” Kelly said, via Chase Brown of Eleven Warriors. “Jared Goff did it last night.”

Kelly was referencing Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff, who went 18-for-18 with 292 yards and a couple of touchdowns in the Lions' win over the Seattle Seahawks.

He was clearly half-joking with the remark, but it does go to show the lofty expectations Ohio State has for its signal-caller.

Through the first four games of 2024, Howard has thrown for 1,039 yards, eight touchdowns and a couple of interceptions while completing 68.6 percent of his passes. He has also reached the end zone three times as a rusher.

Howard transferred from Kansas State after last season. During his final year with the Wildcats, he totaled 2,643 yards, 24 touchdowns and 10 picks through the air while rushing for 351 yards and nine scores.

There were a lot of question marks surrounding Howard heading into the 2024 campaign, and while he has done a fine job of answering those queries thus far, he still has a lot left to prove.

Ohio State is 4-0 and will host the Iowa Hawkeyes this weekend.