Ohio State great Will Howard exposes Miami's 'big pull' transfer portal tactic

Last season, the Ohio State Buckeyes could have fallen apart after losing to their biggest rival, Michigan, at home. However, they used that defeat as motivation, fueling a playoff run that ended with a national championship. A key factor in their success was the veteran leadership on offense, particularly from quarterback Will Howard.

The former Kansas State QB was the new guy during summer practices, which gave Jack Sawyer plenty of chances to test him—until Howard finally snapped.

“He throws it and I just give him a little check to the chin area. And he goes back and shoves me. He’s like, ‘What the he** are you doing, man? Knock that s**t off!’ And I was like finally,” Sawyer said.

Howard played a major role in the Buckeyes’ championship season. Afterward, he was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers, where he has a legitimate shot at becoming the starting quarterback. When he was drafted, Howard immediately requested the playbook—a testament to his tireless work ethic.

“We were going to give you the weekend off, but this relentless work ethic is exactly why we drafted you,” Steelers QB coach Tom Arth responded.

Appearing on Ben Roethlisberger’s podcast, Howard discussed his experience in the transfer portal. He also revealed how the Miami Hurricanes tried to lure him to Coral Gables—something that came as no surprise.

Follow The Sporting News on WhatsApp

“Miami was texting me a lot, their big pull was they had a lot of money,” Howard shared.

While the Hurricanes are known for their substantial NIL resources, Howard chose a different path—heading to Columbus, far from the warm weather of South Florida. In the end, it worked out for both programs: Howard won a national championship with Ohio State, and Miami saw quarterback Cam Ward become the first overall pick in this year’s NFL Draft.