It's funny how things worked out in the end. At this time last year, former Ohio State football stud quarterback Will Howard was getting ready for his one and only season with the Buckeyes. He transferred in from Kansas State, which was a move Wildcats fans hated.
In essence, Kansas State decided it was time to pass the torch and give elite quarterback Avery Johnson a shot at running the offense. This led to Howard entering the portal and several powerhouses worked to land him. Ryan Day came calling and the Buckeyes ended up signing him - how'd that turn out?
While Michigan fans will continue to troll everyone in Columbus over Ohio State losing to the Wolverines, the fanbase can rest easy knowing Howard brought home a natty title. Buckeyes fans have been reminded of that in the first game of the college football season, with Johnson struggling a bit against Iowa State in the first half. We're not throwing shade at Johnson or anything - we're just pointing out that things could have been way different for Ohio State if Howard ended up staying in Manhattan to close out his college career:
It's hilarious that Kansas State fans thought Avery Johnson was going to be an upgrade over Will Howard. This dude is trash. Glad Will upgraded and won a title last year! pic.twitter.com/hiTxEQC0Gu
— Scarlet & Game (@ScarletAndGame) August 23, 2025
Avery Johnson struggling for Kansas State has reminded Ohio State fans of Will Howard
At the time of this writing, Johnson has gone 9-of-14 for 60 yards in the first two quarters of a 7-7 game against Iowa State. Let us be clear by saying that Johnson is a gamer and he's got an incredible amount of talent. We won't be surprised if he ends up being one of the top Big 12 QBs this season.
With that said, the Wildcats went all-in on him and it opened the door for Howard to leave town after four seasons with the program. His decision to sign with the Buckeyes was life-changing, as he has said several times that he thanks God for letting him play for Ohio State.
That decision helped him win the National Championship with the Buckeyes in January and then get drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in April. Johnson had a strong first year with Kansas State as the starter, throwing for 2,712 yards and 25 TDs. The Wildcats likely have no regrets with their decision, but it's one that the Ohio State faithful and Ryan Day are always going to be thankful for. Looking back on things, Howard is probably pretty dang happy about how everything played out as well.