Saying goodbye to departing Ohio State Buckeyes playmakers isn't going to be easy for a lot of people. It goes without saying, but it's going to take some time to get used to seeing Will Howard in the NFL and not donning an OSU jersey.
After powering the Buckeyes to the National Championship this past campaign, however, Howard has no doubt in his mind that the guys currently on campus will have this team ready to push for more glory moving forward. He's also quite confident in his expected replacement.
There's going to be a QB battle this spring and fall, but all signs are pointing to Julian Sayin winning that battle and leading the offense out onto the field once Week 1 gets here. If that indeed ends up being the case, Howard has no doubt in his mind that his former teammate will flourish from start to finish in 2025:
Will Howard on Ohio State’s quarterback room and Julian Sayin:
— Stephen Means (@Stephen_Means) February 28, 2025
“Now it’s his time” pic.twitter.com/KJdRTv2r0r
Will Howard has all the confidence in the world in Ohio State QB Julian Sayin
"We just had a great vibe in that room and we had a lot of fun together," Howard said. "I'm excited for them to take over and be the guys going forward because Julian coming in you know he's a soft-spoken guy, he's quiet, but now it's his time."
Howard went on to discuss Lincoln Kienholz, Tavien St. Clair and others, hoping the best for all the QBs on campus. It's looking to be a two-man race for the starting role, though, as St. Clair has arrived to Columbus with monster expectations.
He signed with Ohio State as a 5-star signal-caller, ranked the No. 3 QB in the country for the 2025 class. At the same time, Sayin is a former 5-star prospect himself, signing with Alabama as the No. 3 QB in the land for 2024 before ultimately transferring to Ohio State.
Throughout the NFL Combine, several OSU players couldn't stop hyping up Sayin and his potential playing for Ryan Day. Howard is also a big fan of his game and he's ready what he can get done if he indeed is given the keys to the offense. St. Clair will have something to say about that, but if Sayin wins the job, he'll be ready to live up to the hype.