‘Best hire we could have made’: Will Howard thrilled with Ohio State’s hire of Chip Kelly

Will Howard grew up in Downingtown, Pennsylania, as a Philadelphia Eagles fan.

So when Chip Kelly was hired as Ohio State’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach following the departure of Bill O’Brien to Boston College, Howard was particularly excited. Kelly was the Eagles’ head coach from 2013-15 when Howard was an adolescent.

Mar 4, 2024; Columbus, OH, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard speaks to media at the start of spring practice at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center.

“I’m getting to work with someone who coached my team growing up,” Howard said Monday on the eve of the start of Ohio State’s spring practice.

Howard is the front-runner to be the Buckeyes’ starting quarterback after his transfer from Kansas State. His relationship with Kelly, who stepped down as UCLA’s head coach to work with former protege Ryan Day, will be crucial.

So far, so good.

“Coach O’Brien did what he had to do, and I think coach Kelly is the best hire we could have made,” Howard said.

Sep 23, 2023; Manhattan, Kansas, USA; Kansas State Wildcats quarterback Will Howard (18) runs away from several UCF Knights defenders to score a touchdown late in the fourth quarter at Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Sewell-USA TODAY Sports

He said Kelly called him the day he was hired.

“His schemes are really quarterback-friendly,” Howard said. “It’s how can we get as many yards as possible without any strain.”

More: Ohio State football winter transfer tracker 2024: Latest portal news, updates

Howard said he and Kelly have clicked.

“He’s super-down to earth and easy to talk to,” he said. “I think that’s one of the most important things that I’ve realized in my time as a quarterback. We spend so much time with our offensive coordinator/quarterback coach.

More: Former Ohio State linebacker Tommy Eichenberg…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/best-hire-could-made-howard-181010085.html

Author : The Columbus Dispatch

Publish date : 2024-03-04 18:10:10

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