Important decision looms for Kansas State QB Will Howard as he mulls future options
Will Howard stopped for a moment as he walked up the tunnel to Kansas State’s locker room immediately after the Wildcats lost to Iowa State in their final game of the regular season on Saturday at Bill Snyder Family Stadium.
The senior quarterback decided he wanted one last look at the field he has called home throughout his college football career, so he turned around and took in the view.
It was an emotional moment for him. Not only because K-State had just suffered a defeat, but because it might have been his final game in a purple uniform.
That wasn’t lost on Howard as he spoke about what this team and university have meant to him over the years.
“It’s hard to hard to put it into words, honestly,” Howard said. “This place has meant the world to me. All the relationships that I’ve had and that I’ve built, the people that I’ve come across, all the coaches, all the players. I genuinely love this place and I’ll cherish it for the rest of my life. This place turned me into a man.”
Howard has several options as he contemplates his future.
Even though he has already played four years of college football, he is eligible to return as a “super senior” next season because one of those years happened during the pandemic.
That means Howard could remain at K-State for one more year, or he could transfer and play for a different team next season. Such a move is becoming more and more common for veteran quarterbacks who are looking for a new experience in their final year of college football.
Howard would have several interested teams if he chooses to go that route.
But he could also decide he is ready to turn pro and make a run at the NFL.
As of now, Howard isn’t ready to commit to anything.
“I don’t know,” Howard said. “I have got to talk to my family and make some decisions. I think a lot of guys on this team do. So I don’t really know. I’m still disappointed about this loss. I’m going to talk about it and figure out what my plan is going forward. But I really don’t know right now.”
If Howard moves on and K-State hands the keys to its offense over to freshman quarterback Avery Johnson, then most fans will remember Howard fondly.
He led the Wildcats to a Big 12 championship last season and followed that up with eight victories this season. He also helped them reach the Texas Bowl as a sophomore. Furthermore, he set the school record for career touchdown passes with 48.
Howard has completed 219 of 357 passes this season for 2,643 yards and 24 touchdowns. He also rushed for 364 yards and nine touchdowns. It was far from a perfect year from him, but he was one of the better quarterbacks in the conference.
Few would blame him for moving on to the next chapter in his life given all he has accomplished with the Wildcats.
If Howard stays, then the Wildcats will have an interesting QB dynamic next season. Many fans are eager to see what Johnson can do as the starting quarterback.
Howard is far from the only K-State player in this position.
Several other prominent seniors will need to decide if they want to stay or go in the next few weeks.
Shane Porter, a sophomore wide receiver who has played an important role on special teams, announced on Monday that he plans to enter the NCAA transfer portal when it opens next month. He was first to make up his mind. Third-string quarterback Jake Rubley and running back Treshaun Ward also intend to transfer.
Just in case Saturday’s game against Iowa State was it for Howard, he was asked to share his favorite memory as a K-State football player. He was happy to reflect on that topic.
“That Oklahoma State game last year was special because that was kind of the culmination of a lot of emotions,” Howard said. “There were a lot of tough things that I had to go through, and then being able to come out on top, when my teammates hoisted me up or whatever, I didn’t even want that. But I felt like I was on top of the world. Then I came down to my mom and I just broke down because that was really a turning point for me in terms of my career.”
This story was originally published November 27, 2023 at 2:26 PM.