How much of Will Howard's development as a passer/quarterback is due to Klein? Looking at his ESPN stats, he had a massive jump in completion percentage this year at tOSU; however, he also improved steadily at K State. Is the jump in completion because of ill-fit scheming on Klein's part while Howard was at K State, the talent level of the tOSU receivers, or something else? For comparison, Howard's completion stats in HS were around .63 his senior year.

Probably has better running game complementing him. Also better short yardage play-calling from his OC & staff.

I've seen Will Howard look like absolute turd in some games this year. Don't let recency bias affect your thinking of him as a player

Classof25Battler said:

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How much of Will Howard's development as a passer/quarterback is due to Klein? Looking at his ESPN stats, he had a massive jump in completion percentage this year at tOSU; however, he also improved steadily at K State. Is the jump in completion because of ill-fit scheming on Klein's part while Howard was at K State, the talent level of the tOSU receivers, or something else? For comparison, Howard's completion stats in HS were around .63 his senior year.

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Maybe surrounding himself with osu talent vs ksu talents had something to do with it

KSU's offense has been a plodding, grind it out offense since Klein played QB there. The QB is more likely to be a H-back prototype that can throw some. I will be interested to see how well we'll be able to recruit QBs and WRs as time goes on.

Bobaloo said:

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TOSU, as usual, has a fleet of NFL receivers. Not to mention NFL OL and RBs. That might have an impact. It is notable that a school with a parade of NFL QBs chose a Klein product to lead the way in 2024.

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Amen.
One of these days, I hope this is finally gonna sink in.

X's and O's matter, but it'll only take you so far without the right Johnnys and Joes.

Mules and quarter horses are damn good work animals, but they're not gonna win you the Kentucky Derby

Hire Hartline as OC and be done with it

Are we just going to pretend that ohio state doesnt have infinitely more talent at WR, RB, TE, Oline, etc. than kstate?

AggieOO said:

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Texags told me it was impossible for qbs to improve their completion percentage after HS, so those stats are obviously fake.

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TexAgs is wrong…again…

to me the most encouraging thing abkut those stats is that it shows you can improve over time. pre ohio st will howard had increased his competition percentage by 9%. if over the next few years marcell reed can have that type of improvement he is going to be really good. his starting point is much better than will howard.

Check the 2nd reply here: https://texags.com/forums/5/topics/3487251

Detmersdislocatedshoulder said:

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to me the most encouraging thing abkut those stats is that it shows you can improve over time. pre ohio st will howard had increased his competition percentage by 9%. if over the next few years marcell reed can have that type of improvement he is going to be really good. his starting point is much better than will howard.

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Some sort of that progression from Marcel, coupled with real skill talent around him, might just get us the QB play we need to break through to the next level. Not a guarantee, but hopeful…

Gotta be able to see the field and make the correct snap-decisions.

I see Howard's completion-percentage went from 62% to 72% more accurate when he went to an offense with an OC who specializes in scheming WRs open.

Probably the result of his OC- Chip Kelly

There are four QBs left in the playoffs and our HC/OC coached two of them. Yet, neither followed their prospective coaches to A&M. I find that interesting.

Think about it. Neither Leonard or Howard had any A&M ties that I'm aware of.

One has the chance to go to Notre Dame or Texas A&M.

The other has a chance to go to Ohio St or Texas A&M.

No surprise that neither need up at A&M.

A. G. Pennypacker said:

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Think about it. Neither Leonard or Howard had any A&M ties that I'm aware of.

One has the chance to go to Notre Dame or Texas A&M.

The other has a chance to go to Ohio St or Texas A&M.

No surprise that neither need up at A&M.

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We also had Weigman…

I thought this was gonna be about religious persecution.

Talent....best OL, RBs and WRs he's ever had. Add one of the top 3 WRs in NCAA this year (who can get open and catch almost anything thrown his way).

Reed's stats would improve if input into that formula and why OSU should be a hotbed for QBs transfers in.

Classof25Battler said:

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How much of Will Howard's development as a passer/quarterback is due to Klein? Looking at his ESPN stats, he had a massive jump in completion percentage this year at tOSU; however, he also improved steadily at K State. Is the jump in completion because of ill-fit scheming on Klein's part while Howard was at K State, the talent level of the tOSU receivers, or something else? For comparison, Howard's completion stats in HS were around .63 his senior year.

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Take it from Howard himself. He said he went to Ohio State and got real coaching and development. Intereview on podcast with Urban Meyer and Mark Ingram. If you want to listen to it. Was at the beginning of the year few games in I believe.

Ag1188 said:

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Gotta be able to see the field and make the correct snap-decisions.

I see Howard's completion-percentage went from 62% to 72% more accurate when he went to an offense with an OC who specializes in scheming WRs open.

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As much as you're trying to throw shade at Klein for not being able to "scheme wr's open", Wiggins is the Co-OC and WR coach who would be responsible for getting our WR's open, who has a track record proving he is more than capable. Our WR room was the weakest it's been in recent memory.

Hopefully this season we can complete the forward pass and defend it.

Howard came out of HS as a 3 star prospect who was the #30 QB prospect and #882 overall prospect in the country. He had offers from such powerhouses as Kansas, Maryland, Minnesota, and Bowling Green but ultimately chose Kansas State. In his senior year of high school he averaged 181 yards per game on 63% completion. Not bad but not elite. For comparison Weigman averaged 216 ypg. Cade Klubnik averaged 247 ypg.

In 2023 K State's best WR by stats was Philip Brooks, a 5'8" kid who did not have a star rating coming out of HS. He signed a UFA contract with the Chiefs last spring and was waived before the season.

Their second best WR was also a no star rating player who is still at K State. Their third receiver by yardage was a 3 star who is still at K state.

Did K State run an offense that could fully take advantage of everyone that Howard is now capable of after years with Klein? No, they couldn't. They didn't have the horses.

To suggest that somehow Howard magically morphed from a kid ranked outside the top 800 in the country to a QB that Ohio State specifically targeted with no growth attributed to his OC/QB coach is just being foolish.

He's playing better this year but to suggest that's all the coaches and not playing with three WR who will be high draft picks is equally foolish.