Ryan Day's gamble on Will Howard over Cam Ward and Riley Leonard pays off as both rewrite their legacy
Sometimes, the decisions we don't make are as important as the ones we do. The Ohio State Buckeyes capped off a dominant College Football Playoff Championship Game victory on Monday night, largely because of quarterback Will Howard's stellar play throughout the entire season. Ohio State head coach Ryan Day had the chance to match Miami's […]
Sometimes, the decisions we don't make are as important as the ones we do. The Ohio State Buckeyes capped off a dominant College Football Playoff Championship Game victory on Monday night, largely because of quarterback Will Howard's stellar play throughout the entire season.
Ohio State head coach Ryan Day had the chance to match Miami's offer for Heisman Trophy finalist Cam Ward but opted against it. He wanted to speak with Riley Leonard, but the former Duke quarterback knew he would attend Notre Dame before hitting the portal.
It didn't take long for Day to land on Howard after he opted against pursuing Ward harder. Almost one year later to the day, Day and Howard brought a National Championship home.
Howard ended the National Championship, completing 17-of-21 passes for 231 yards and two touchdowns. He added 16 carries for 57 yards. He was two misses away from furthering the final margin of 34-23, and the Buckeyes certainly instilled fear into the fans after clumsily handling the fourth quarter.
However, even as the Buckeyes stumbled a bit in the second half after racing out to a 31-7 lead, Howard was the guiding force who landed the plane home. Of course, his 3rd-and-11 heave to Jeremiah Smith for 56 yards was the dagger that put the exclamation point on the win.
Brought in to be a calming game manager who just needed to feed a deep plethora of playmakers, Howard ended up being much more when he needed to.
Whether it was composed third down throws that kept drives alive or the handful of rushing attempts that punished Notre Dame for manning up so often, Howard was the heart of the Buckeyes. Despite questions about his ability to avoid turnovers, make downfield throws, or be better than 2023 starter Kyle McCord, Howard was the right answer all along.
Howard accomplished more than what CJ Stroud could, continually delivering clutch plays in high-stress moments. While Howard's resume only lacked a win against Michigan, his toughness was never the reason why Ohio State lost that heart-breaking and season-changing game.
Instead, Howard re-entered the game after a brutal headshot that may have caused a concussion. Buckeye fans will forgive Day and Howard for the brutal home loss to Michigan in return for its first National Championship in a decade.
Questions were justified as to whether the former Kansas State starter benched for a freshman was good enough as a passer for Day. But Day banked on Howard's leadership, short and intermediate accuracy, rushing ability, and grit.
For that, each has earned a unique place in one of the most storied programs in college football's history. Being crowned the national champion is more than just a crowning achievement; it is an immortalization.
Even though the Buckeyes didn't have Howard for this lone season, his growth and contributions deserve as many accolades and as much love as other program legends.
