Ohio State Buckeyes' Will Howard Earns Massive Grade For Season Opener

Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard has earned high marks for his season-opening performance against the Akron Zips.

August 31, 2024; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard (18) is interviewed following Saturday’s NCAA Division I football game against the Akron Zips at Ohio Stadium. / Barbara J. Perenic/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

It wasn't pretty early on for Will Howard and the Ohio State Buckeyes, but they collected themselves and managed to put together a dominant 52-6 win over the Akron Zips in their season opener this past Saturday.

All eyes were on Howard, who was making his debut under center for Ohio State.

So, just how did the Kansas State transfer perform?

Pro Football Focus seems to indicate he did an incredible job, as Howard earned a terrific 82.4 grade from the outlet. That marks the highest grade of Howard's career, surpassing his previous mark of 81 that he set during a loss to the Texas Longhorns last season.

Howard went 17-for-28 with 228 yards and three touchdowns against Akron. He also carried the ball for times for 18 yards.

The Howard-to-Jeremiah Smith connection was already on full display in Week 1, as Howard found Smith for a pair of scores in the victory. Smith hauled in six receptions for 92 yards overall.

Many had questions about Howard heading into 2024 with the Buckeyes. After all, the 22-year-old did not exactly post eye-opening numbers during his final season at Kansas State, throwing for 2,643 yards, 24 touchdowns and 10 interceptions while completing 61.3 percent of his passes last year.

But, in Howard's defense, he did not have the same level of talent at his disposal with the Wildcats that he now does in Columbus, so perhaps the clear boost in his supporting cast will help him take his game to new heights this season.

Ohio State will host Western Michigan this Saturday.