Ryan Day stood on the stage at Big Ten Media Days in LV, the glare of expectations still fresh after Ohio State’s national championship run. As reporters circled in on the QB room, Day gave a measured response on the QB1 race, careful not to tip his hand. “We’ve got to be on point Week 1. We can’t be messing around,” he said, acknowledging that Julian Sayin and Lincoln Kienholz would need to make the most of camp reps. But behind that quote, what was missed was something deeper. Last year, Will Howard’s antics off the field.
The real headline came not on the podium. Coach recalled his routinely bed checks during the playoffs, BTS with the Cover 3 crew. There, Ryan Day talked about one of the most overlooked engines of last season’s title run: Will Howard’s presence off the field. The locker room needed a new voice. Day made it clear that Howard didn’t just step into the role—he owned it. “I remember even talking to Lincoln and Julian during one of the bed checks. I do bed checks before the game. And I remember saying to them during the playoff run, I said, ‘Make sure every day you’re taking notes on how Will is leading, what he does in the locker room, what he does in the huddle, his preparation on the field, how he handles success, how he handles loss.’ Will was a tremendous leader.”
Day wasn’t offering casual praise. He was detailing the architecture of a QB who didn’t just throw touchdowns—he built trust. “I think the guys who were on the team saw great leadership last year, so they know what it looks like,” Day said. “And so a big part of leadership is building trust. And so we talk a lot about that. We have a leadership committee. And with our offseason, we try to put the guys in as many situations as we can for them to learn how to lead when conflict hits.” For Ohio State, quarterback development isn’t just about how quickly the ball comes out—it’s about who commands the room when the headset comes off.
Will Howard, who transferred in from Kansas State, was expected to stabilize the position. What he delivered was far beyond that. In 2024, he completed 73 percent of his passes for 4,010 yards, 35 TDs, and just 10 INTs. He added 226 rushing yards and seven TDs, but those were just footnotes. His true value was felt when games got tight, when Ryan Day needed someone to set the tone—especially for the younger quarterbacks waiting in the wings. The coach didn’t shy away from that either. “We try to train leadership,” he said. “But you don’t know until you get them into the fire.”
That fire forged a national title, and now it’s forging the next generation. Sayin and Kienholz may still be battling it out, but they’re doing it in the shadow of a leader who turned a transfer stop into a legacy moment. It’s no surprise that Will Howard caught the eye of the NFL either. He’ll spend this fall with the Pittsburgh Steelers, learning behind Aaron Rodgers—MVP QB known for mastering the mental game. Howard won’t be handed the reins just yet, but don’t be shocked if his name starts buzzing in that QB room before long.
Back in Columbus, Day has kept things steady amid the transition from Chip Kelly to Brian Hartline as OC. “We tried to keep the offense the offense,” Day said, emphasizing continuity over chaos. The Buckeyes know they’re wearing a target now, but Day made one thing clear. “The team that we have currently wants to leave their own legacy behind, and they made that clear a week after the national championship game … We’re not defending national champions, because we’re not defending anything.” And there it was, Day’s quote of the day, summed up Ohio State Buckeyes’ mindset heading into 2025.
Will Howard’s rise got him Ben’s blessing
And when you thought the Will Howard story couldn’t get more layered, enter Big Ben with the unexpected co-sign. On the Sports Spectrum Podcast, former Steelers great Ben Roethlisberger delivered the kind of heartfelt praise that’s rare in today’s highlight-hungry era.
“He gets drafted sixth round and tears are pouring down his face, his dream of playing in the NFL,” Roethlisberger said. “At least he has a chance. Doesn’t mean he’s going to make it; sixth round, but he’s excited about it. You watch other guys, and they get drafted and are like, ‘Let’s throw a party. Let’s have cameras.’ I’m not trying to bash any one person. But you just see the difference sometimes in the love of the game.” That quote right there? That’s validation.
Howard might not have had first-round glitz or NIL headlines, but he had the grit—and now he’s got the respect of a Hall of Famer. Roethlisberger’s words echo what Ryan Day saw all year: a quarterback who wasn’t about flash, but about foundation. Howard doesn’t have the rocket-arm ceiling of others in his class, but the Buckeyes’ title run and his efficient, steady hand proved he’s built for the moment. With Roethlisberger in his corner, the sixth round might just be the start of something bigger.
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