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PA native, Ohio State QB Will Howard ‘stoked’ to prove Penn State wrong on recruiting snub

Will Howard grew up wanting to play for Penn State football. Now on Saturday, the Ohio State QB is out to prove James Franklin and the Nittany Lions wrong for snubbing him out of high school.

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5 months ago

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Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard throws out a pass as the No. 3 Oregon Ducks host the No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore. © Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

For the first time in 25 years, a top-five matchup is coming to Beaver Stadium when Penn State football hosts Ohio State on Saturday. The Buckeyes start the week as a four-point favorite over the Nittany Lions, but Ohio State quarterback and Pennsylvania native Will Howard will undoubtedly come into Happy Valley with an underdog’s mindset.

“I’m stoked. Stoked. I cannot wait,” Howard said of his feelings looking ahead to Saturday’s game following the Buckeyes’ 21-17 win over Nebraska. “It’s going to be a homecoming for me. I grew up a Penn State fan. I wanted to go there my whole life. They didn’t think I was good enough, but I guess we’ll see next week if I was.”

A product of Downingtown West High School, Will Howard was a three-star recruit in the class of 2020. The No. 7 prospect out of Pennsylvania and the No. 33 pro style quarterback in the class, Howard committed to Kansas State in June 2019.

In the 2020 cycle, James Franklin and Penn State recruited Micah Bowens at quarterback. Bowens transferred to Oklahoma in 2021 and currently plays for Bethune-Cookman.

Howard set a Wildcat record with 48 touchdown passes and threw for 5,786 passing yards before transferring to Ohio State in January. So far this season, Howard is 113-156 for 1,586 yards with 13 touchdowns and three interceptions. He also has four scores on the ground this year.

Kickoff between Penn State football and Ohio State is set for noon on FOX.

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Matt is a co-owner and Editor of Basic Blues Nation. Launched in 2022, Basic Blues Nation is one of the fastest-growing websites covering all Penn State athletics. Matt is also a credentialed member of the Penn State football beat, and is a member of the Football Writers Association of America.

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