Will Howard is earning recognition as one of the top quarterbacks in college football.
The Ohio State quarterback was named Thursday as one of 10 finalists for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, which honors the nation’s top upperclassman quarterback.
Howard is joined on the list of finalists by the quarterback he’ll go head-to-head with this weekend – Penn State’s Drew Allar – as well as Georgia’s Carson Beck, Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart, Texas’ Quinn Ewers, Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel, Clemson’s Cade Klubnik, Indiana’s Kurtis Rourke, Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders and Miami’s Cam Ward.
The winner of the award will be announced Dec. 6.
A fifth-year senior who transferred to Ohio State for his final season of college football after four years at Kansas State, Howard has been one of the most efficient passers in the entire nation this season. He ranks second in the FBS in passer rating (183.9, behind only Rourke) and third in the nation in completion percentage (74%, behind only Gabriel and Rourke). He’s also given the Buckeyes a running threat from the quarterback position, scoring five touchdowns with his legs.
Howard has completed at least 80% of his passing attempts in four of Ohio State’s last five games, and whether he can keep it going this weekend could go a long way toward determining if the fourth-ranked Buckeyes can defeat No. 3 Penn State. The Pennsylvania native will certainly be motivated to play at his best as he faces off against his home-state school.
“I grew up a Penn State fan. I wanted to go there my whole life. They didn't think I was good enough. I guess we'll see next week if I was,” Howard said following Ohio State’s win over Nebraska last Saturday.
