ATLANTA – As a junior at Downingtown West High School in suburban Philadelphia, Will Howard was emerging as a potential top recruit as the Whippets’ signal-caller. But when he broke his arm, ending that season early, the odds of reaching the stage where Howard found himself Monday night seemed as bleak as ever.
“If you were to ask a 19-year-old or 18-year-old Will Howard if he’d be at Ohio State playing in the national championship, I think he’d probably say, ‘You’re crazy, man,’” Howard said days before taking the field against Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff national championship game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
But Howard was the star of the show Monday night, as he led the Buckeyes to a 34-23 win over Notre Dame to secure their first national championship in 10 seasons. In the first half, he broke the record for consecutive completions in a CFP national title game with 13, including going 6-for-6 on third down. He finished 17-of-21 passing for 231 yards and two TDs to go along with 16 carries for 57 yards.
‘I wouldn’t be here without my teammates, without my family, without everybody who bet on me back in Downingtown, Pennsylvania,’ Howard said in a postgame broadcast interview. ‘I’m at a loss for words right now.’
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Amidst the chaos and celebration on stage, Howard attempted to soak in the moment. Not many of his Ohio State teammates had been through a journey like his.
But as he made his way to the stands to embrace his family, the emotion began to show. He shared a tearful hug with his mom, Maureen. He reflected on a career filled with plenty of ups and downs with the people who had seen it all.
“Between all the people back home in Downingtown and my family, and then my family at Kansas State, my family here at Ohio State, I leaned on a lot of people,” Howard said in a postgame press conference. “I wouldn’t have been able to get through some of the stuff that I had to go through myself.”
Howard’s adaptability to new situations has long defined him as a football player. It’s also a clue as to why he reached new heights as a Buckeye.
When Ryan Wetzel took over quarterback duties for the injured Howard in fall 2018, Howard became ‘one of the best assistant coaches on our staff,’ Mike Milano, longtime Downington West head coach, told USA TODAY Sports last week.
“We went on and won five or six more games, went three rounds deep in the playoffs with a tight end playing quarterback, and Will was his personal caddy,” Milano said. “He coached his tail off with this guy, which was pretty awesome to see.”
Fast-forward to his junior season at Kansas State, and Howard found himself in another make-or-break situation. When Nebraska’s Adrian Martinez announced his transfer to Manhattan, Howard’s role as the imminent starter was cast into doubt. Howard and his mom met with Milano to discuss the situation, but he returned to school determined to prove his worth.
“We came out of that meeting and he just decided, ‘Hey, I’m going to go back to K-State, and I want to hear them tell me, ‘Hey, this is going to be an open competition,’” Milano recalled. “‘That’s all I want, is a chance to compete.’”
Despite losing out in the initial competition, Howard eventually got his shot following an injury to Martinez. After a successful 2023 campaign, he convinced the Buckeyes he was the quarterback to solve the national championship puzzle. His personality immediately won over blue-chip prospects and walk-ons alike when he arrived in Columbus 12 months ago. Receiver Emeka Egbuka said it feels as if he’s known Howard “his whole life.”
“When he came in, he was almost immediately immersed in the culture,” Egbuka said. “It felt like he had been here for multiple years. He’s really bought into the program, bought into the brotherhood.”
Over the course of the season, Howard showed he was the perfect quarterback to lead the Buckeyes through their toughest moments, including their loss to Michigan in November. Despite all the pressure on his shoulders, the resiliency he brought was the perfect final ingredient for a milestone national championship.
Howard was quick, however, to credit his teammates for doing the same for him.
“I’m just so thankful,” Howard said, “that I have a group of guys in this locker room and a group of coaches, and my family, that I can lean on and they can get me through all those tough times.
“I’m just so unbelievably thankful that I got a chance to be a Buckeye even if it was for just one year.”
This story has been updated with new information.
Gunter Schroeder is a student in the University of Georgia’s Sports Media Certificate program.