FILE - Ohio State quarterback Will Howard (18) runs against Texas during the second half of the Cotton Bowl College Football Playoff semifinal game, Jan. 10, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File)

COLUMBUS — A year ago as Ohio State began preseason practice there were all kinds of questions about quarterback Will Howard. 

After leading OSU to a national championship, he is one of the gold standards of playing quarterback for the Buckeyes. 

Not to mention being a tough act to follow for Julian Sayin and Lincoln Kienholz, the two main competitors to become Ohio State’s quarterback this season. 

OSU coach Ryan Day recited a list of qualities he looks for in a starting quarterback after his team’s first preseason practice on Thursday.  But trying to be exactly like Howard wasn’t included. 

“Both Julian and Lincoln saw how Will led but you don’t have to be Will Howard, you have to be yourself. You have to be you. No two quarterbacks are the same,” he said. 

“You want command of the offense. When you stand in there as a quarterback you want everybody in that huddle to believe in you. You want them to follow your command. That’s a big part of it. And taking care of the football, making routine plays routinely, getting us into the right play. 

“That’s one of the things from last year that I think Will doesn’t get enough credit for – all the little things to keep the offense moving.  We have good pieces around them (Sayin, Kienholz and freshman Tavien St. Clair). They just need to make routine plays routinely, have command and make great decisions. If they can do that and move the team down the field for touchdowns, that gives us a chance to win.” 

Day said he hopes to choose a starter before the Buckeyes’ opener at home on Aug. 30 against Texas in a rematch of their College Football Playoff semifinal last season. 

“Going into that game you certainly would like to have a starter named. If we have to go in with multiple quarterbacks that’s probably not a good thing. But you have to do what you have to do to win the game,” he said. 

Quarterback is just one of 13 positions where the Buckeyes will have a new starter this season. But they still have the talent to be talking about repeating last season’s national championship. 

“I think this team has its own identity, they want to have their own identity but they also want to become the first team to win back to back national championships at Ohio State,” Day said. “I think there is a certain level of trust knowing that if we follow the program and stick with it we can accomplish our goals.” 

NOTES: 

HOUSTON INJURY:

Defensive tackle Eddrick Houston left the practice field with an apparent lower leg injury. 

Day did not have an update on Houston during his press conference. “I haven’t talked to the trainers yet. We’ll go from there once we talk to them,” he said. 

Interior defensive line was already a position where OSU had depth concerns with no returning starters and only Kayden McDonald and Houston getting significant playing time last season.  Potential replacements for Houston if he would be sidelined for the long run would be Will Smith Jr., Tywone Malones and Jason Moore, who combined for only 11 tackles last season. 

QUARTERBACKS OFF LIMITS:

Ohio State’s quarterbacks will be exempt from being hit during preseason practice after contact was allowed some of the time during spring practice. 

“We’re not going to hit them in the pocket,” Day said. 

MORE QBS:

OSU has four walk-on quarterbacks on its roster. 

Eli Brickhandler transferred from Houston Christian. Freshmen Trey Robinette (Miami Trace) and Kolton Stover (Marengo Highland) were both third-team All-Ohio last season and Mason Maggs (Dublin Coffman) is in his fourth year in the Buckeyes’ program.