Will Howard will transfer after four memorable years with the Kansas State Wildcats
Will Howard will return to college next season, but his time at Kansas State is over.
The Wildcats will have a new starting quarterback next season after Howard decided to enter the NCAA transfer portal on Monday.
His choice to pursue a fresh start with a new team is not surprising, but it is still meaningful news for the thousands of K-State fans who watched him mature into one of the best quarterbacks in the Big 12 during his four eventful seasons in Manhattan.
Howard had both extreme lows (a five-game losing streak as a freshman) and extreme highs (a Big 12 championship as a junior) while playing in 34 games and making 27 starts for the Wildcats. He followed up last year’s run to a league title with eight victories this season. He also helped them reach the Texas Bowl as a sophomore.
His name can also be found in the program’s record book, as he set the school record for career touchdown passes with 48.
Howard 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 passers in the conference.
It seemed like Howard knew his time at K-State was coming to an end, based on his emotions after the Wildcats lost to Iowa State in their final game of the regular season on Saturday at Bill Snyder Family Stadium.
Howard stopped for a moment as he walked up the tunnel to K-State’s locker room immediately after the game. 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 turned out to be 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 during his postgame news conference.
“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 had several options as he contemplated 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.
Howard could have turned pro and made a run at the NFL or remained at K-State for one more year, but he decided to 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 will have several interested teams as he looks for a new home.
On Saturday, Howard said he wasn’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.”
Turns out, he came to a quick decision.
Without Howard, K-State will hand the keys to its offense over to freshman quarterback Avery Johnson. Fans will no doubt be excited about his potential after the way he played in relief of Howard this season. They will get another look at him when he presumably starts for the Wildcats in their bowl game.
Johnson is clearly K-State’s quarterback of the future, which would have made it awkward for Howard to return next season.
Still, few can blame Howard for moving on to the next chapter in his life given all he has accomplished with the Wildcats.
Howard is far from the only K-State player with a decision to make about his future. Several other prominent seniors will need to decide if they want to stay or go in the next few weeks.
Three other players announced their intentions to transfer on Monday. 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 backup running back Treshaun Ward also intend to transfer.
None of them will leave a legacy behind like Howard.
He was asked to share his favorite memory as a K-State football player on Saturday, and it took him a moment to choose just one.
“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.”
