Ohio State Buckeyes Insider Gives Update On Quarterback Competition

It looks like Will Howard is really separating himself in the race to be the starting quarterback for the Ohio State Buckeyes.

Aug 8, 2024; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard (18) runs during football practice at the Woody Hayes Athletic Complex. / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Ohio State Buckeyes have yet to officially name a starting quarterback, although the general consensus is that it will be Kansas State transfer Will Howard.

Spencer Holbrook of Lettermen Row has further established that likelihood, saying that Howard appears to be "the guy" as the season opener draws nearer.

"First of all, he’s down 15 pounds. He was — I believe they said 249 — he’s down to 233, 232, in that range right now," Holbrook said, via On3. "So, he looks like a trimmer quarterback than even the people with Kansas State probably know him as."

In his final season at Kansas State last year, Howard threw for 2,643 yards, 24 touchdowns and 10 interceptions while completing 61.3 percent of his passes. He also rushed for 351 yards and nine scores.

"He said that he put on a little bit of portal weight in that month that he was in the transfer portal. So, that was a little bit of a funny moment for him," added Holbrook. "But he’s starting to assert himself in the weight room. He’s starting to assert himself in the locker room, and then It’s all kind of translated to the field.”

Howard is competing with the likes of Devin Brown, Julian Sayin, Air Noland and Lincoln Kienholz for the starting job, although he has seemed to have a leg up all along.

Of course, Howard didn't exactly light it up at Kansas State, which is why there has been some deliberation as to whether or not he will actually be taking snaps against Akron on Aug. 31.

However, it's also worth noting that the Wildcats do not possess nearly the same type of supporting talent as Ohio State, so Howard may have a much easier job and post much better numbers with the Buckeyes.

We'll see if head coach Ryan Day makes his official announcement soon, but it's looking more and more like Howard will be at the top of the depth chart.