Kansas State Wildcats quarterback Will Howard will try to find a new home in 2024 after four-star quarterback Avery Johnson is set to be the starter in an all-or nothing quarterback situation in Manhattan
MANHATTAN, Kan.– Kansas State quarterback Will Howard will enter the transfer portal as a graduate transfer for the 2024 season after a solid year as the Wildcats’ starting quarterback. Howard has been a four-year starter for the Wildcats, starting 27 out of 33 eligible games.
As a perennial starter for the Wildcats program, and having led the team to a Big-12 Championship over TCU in 2022, Howard is set to get a lot of interest from quarterback hungry teams looking to go all-in on next year. Howard’s ability in both the air and the ground as well as the fact that he’s a plug and play quarterback in a typical college system makes him an enticing offer for any team.
In four years as the starter, Howard has posted 5,786 passing yards paired with 1,150 on the ground. In this year alone, he managed to throw for 2,643 yards, completing a healthy 61.3% of passes.
“I am eternally grateful to my family and friends for the unwavering support they have shown along my athletic and academic journey,” Howard said in a statement. “What that being said, I am going to explore the transfer portal and evaluate all my options for next season. I’m looking forward to this next chapter in my life and the possibilities that lie ahead,” Howard said via X.
Why’s Will Howard Transferring?
Freshman four-star quarterback Avery Johnson has been nipping at Howard’s feet since he got stepped foot in Manhattan. The Wichita native is obviously the quarterback of the future. Now, with Howard leaving, the hype around Johnson can finally begin to fester with fifteen bowl practices and a shot at Kansas State’s 2nd bowl victory in three years.
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Johnson performed well with a five touchdown game against Texas Tech, plus having nine touchdowns and 526 yards. If Howard decided to stay, there would’ve been a quarterback battle that would leave someone losing, whereas in this case, it seems to be somewhat of a win-win for all parties involved. If Howard won the job, it wouldn’t be absurd to assume that Johnson would be looking for a way out.
Where Could He Go?
Other than entering the 2024 NFL Draft, Howard could go to a plethora of different schools. Quarterback hungry programs with the propensity to win ASAP would make the most use out of Howard’s last remaining year of eligibility. This could be teams like Nebraska, Louisville, Auburn, and Washington.
All of those teams have the pieces required and need the final push in order for them to leap out of obscurity.
