It’s a new day and Ryan Day is already making big moves. Back when Joel Klatt mentioned that in the Big 10, the Buckeyes are now the fan favorite, well; he was right. While the Bulldogs are still sitting on the top of the AP preseason polls, Ohio State is still in the second spot. Learning from Nick Saban’s retirement aftermath, Day made sure that the Buckeyes have the most solid roster in 2024. While setting up a $10 million NIL budget, Day managed to secure 2 massive players from Alabama; Caleb Downs and Julian Sayin. Not only that, he also managed to retain key players and restructure his coaching staff. And now, Day has given us the name of the Buckeyes starting QB.

6 foot 4 with a track record of 48 touchdowns and 921 rushing yards during his time with the Wildcats, Will Howard is a formidable force. JD Pickell from On3 now tells how making Howard the starting QB makes the Buckeyes a threat to look out for. “Will Howard has never had access to the weaponry that the Ohio State offense is presenting to him,” Pickell mentioned. With Chip Kelly calling the plays, Howard is gonna have Jeremiah Smith, Brandon Inniss, and others as WRs next to him. Not only that, the Buckeyes right now have the best running backs in the country on the team; TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins. Howard is also solid when it comes down to his run. This makes a perfect pair with Kelly, who has mastered the art of playing with QBs who can run.

“Will Howard again, I think he fits great in this offense. I think Chip Kelly and the way that he’s going to dial it up with the running game,” Pickell noted. It’s kind of funny to think that Ryan Day’s situation is the complete opposite of what’s going on in Michigan. With the sign-stealing drama still making news and Jim Harbaugh’s 4-year show-cause penalty, to say that Sherrone Moore has had it rough would be an understatement. Now, amidst all that, Moore has to deal with QB issues.

Protecting the run at Michigan

Keeping up the 15-0 legacy feels like a dream now for the Wolverines. Paul Finebaum made it very clear that Michigan has lost its previous glory and is now only relying on the fame it had amassed last year. However, the main problem right now is finding a starting QB for the team. With JJ McCarthy off the list and Harbaugh now in the NFL, Moore is probably stuck in checkmate. While Alex Orji and Devis Warren are still good options to consider, those kids still don’t have the same flair that last year’s roster had.

“I mean, could be the week of, could be the day of the game. I think we’ll see,” Moore had mentioned regarding when he would be selecting his starting QB. While the Buckeyes and almost every other team on the list are set with their roster, the Wolverines are still in a tough spot. Let’s see what the next few days bring us.