Will Howard is a Trojan
USC has officially landed their next starting quarterback in Will Howard. The former Kansas State will play for the cardinal and gold. This is big!
Will Howard is the brand new quarterback for USC. He will be the first ever Big 10 quarterback USC will have. Will has been really good with Kansas State, he even led them to a Big 12 title last season. He will be the sole reason if USC plays badly or if they are a playoff team. This is a big one, let’s get into it.
Will Howard at Kansas State
( via Charlie Riedel, AP)
Will Howard is one of the best quarterbacks in the transfer portal this year. It was him, Cam Ward and DJ Uiagalelei. Of course he only has one or two seasons left of eligibility but he is still great for this team. When he was at Kansas State he won the Big 12 title. This was huge for Kansas State as they were also a top ten team at that championship game. Will became the starter during that season and was brilliant. In those few games that he played he threw for 1,633 yards and 15 touchdowns. He competed 59.8% of his passes and only threw 4 interceptions. This year Kansas State was not as successful, but they still managed to get to bowl season ranked. Will Howard was the starter from the beginning of the season and played really well. He had 2,643 passing yards and 24 touchdowns. He had the 22nd best quarterback rating with a rating of 75.4. He was a stud at Kansas State but wanted to play for a bigger team. That team ended up being USC.
Will Howard and the USC Offense
(via Charlie Riedel, AP)
Will Howard will really open up this pass heavy offense into a more balanced one. At Kansas State they would run the ball as much as they passed; at USC it was the exact opposite. One of the reasons why the defense was so bad was USC’s offense. I know that sounds crazy but it is true. USC’s offense would either have a great touchdown drive or they would go three and out. This meant that the defense would sometimes not get a break before heading back onto the field. Will Howard loves pounding the rock and then throwing the ball. Caleb, as amazing as he is, just loves throwing it. With the weapons USC have this year, I think we will primarily run the ball. Running the ball will drain clock and rest the defense. With new transfer Jo'quavious Marks from Mississippi State at running back, USC will be able to run the ball consistently. Will Howard can also sling the rock around and on third and second downs we will see him pass. This USC offense will operate differently with Will Howard under center.
Initial Thoughts of USC Getting Howard
(via Scott Sewell/USA TODAY Images)
When I first saw that USC landed Will Howard I felt relieved. After all of the talk that USC won’t get anybody or USC won’t get their guy, we ended up getting our guy. I am very excited to see a Will Howard and Zachariah Branch duo. That will be interesting to see and especially if they can connect well, the Big 10 is in trouble. I believe with Will Howard and an improved defense, USC could make a playoff push. Yes, the Trojans do have a schedule with LSU, Michigan, Penn State, Washington and Notre Dame but even if we lose two of those games, there are twelve teams in the playoffs. A 10-2 USC team with that schedule would 100% make the playoffs. Even a 9-3 USC would make the playoffs with that schedule. I am happy with Will Howard and I trust him to lead the Trojans well, playoffs or none.
All in all, USC has a new leader under center. Will Howard performed at Kansas State and will most likely play at that same level at USC. He is not Caleb Williams but he is still a very special quarterback. I forgot to mention that he is 6’5” and 242 pounds. This guy is a beast size wise for a quarterback. He is already big enough to play in the NFL but he still needs to develop the arm and decision making. Lincoln Riley is known for making great quarterbacks and will hopefully make Will Howard even better. This is a new chapter in the USC football book. Thank you for reading.