Downingtown West’s Will Howard lands at Ohio State, following St. Joe’s Prep’s Kyle McCord

Will Howard started his college career at Kansas State playing for Chris Klieman, the man who notably coached Carson Wentz at North Dakota State.

Along the way, the Downingtown West graduate endured the 2020 pandemic season, lost his job in 2021, rebounded to help the Wildcats win a rare Big 12 title in 2022, and then set the school record for career touchdown passes last season.

After transferring to Ohio State in January, Howard will end his career learning at the knee of Buckeyes offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Chip Kelly.

Yes, that Chip Kelly. Quite a ride.

“I’ve tweaked some things in my mechanics,” Howard, a graduate student pursuing his master’s degree in sports coaching, told the Columbus Dispatch. “I’m getting a deeper level of coaching than I ever have. I have a deeper understanding of the offense and what the defense is doing.”

Ohio State is ranked second in the Associated Press preseason coaches’ poll behind Georgia.

» READ MORE: Former Imhotep QB Mikal Davis Jr. gets a fresh start at Delaware State

Last season, St. Joseph’s Prep graduates Kyle McCord and Marvin Harrison Jr. led Ohio State’s offense. The Buckeyes were 11-0 before losing to Michigan for (gasp) the third consecutive season. McCord, the quarterback last season, transferred to Syracuse, where he’ll play for coach Fran Brown, a Camden native. Harrison, the receiver who was a Heisman Trophy finalist, was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals with the fourth overall pick.

Howard beat out Devin Brown, who’s been in the Buckeyes program for three years.

Ohio State opens with Akron (Aug. 31), Western Michigan (Sept. 7), and Marshall (Sept. 21) before getting into the teeth of the schedule — Oct. 12 at Oregon, Nov. 2 at Penn State, and Nov. 30 against Michigan figure to be the stiffest tests.

“We’re going to play some really good defenses, but I think we’re playing one of, if not the best defense in the country every day in practice,” Howard said. “And that’s just making me better.”

» READ MORE: Penn State knows the time is now in its quest to finally crack the College Football Playoff

Area players listed on the rosters of teams ranked in the Associated Press preseason top 25:

1. Georgia — None

2. Ohio State — Will Howard, QB, graduate student, Downingtown West. Just for reference, Howard’s Heisman odds are around 14-1. … Keenan Nelson Jr., S, Jr., St. Joseph’s Prep. Transferred from South Carolina.

3. Oregon — Tysheem Johnson, S, Sr., Neumann Goretti. The Ducks are rebuilding their secondary and leaning heavily on Johnson, who was All Pac-12 honorable mention last season and led their defense with 795 snaps played.

4. Texas — None

5. Alabama — Keon Sabb, DB, R-Soph., Williamstown H.S. Transfer from Michigan, which beat Alabama in last year’s semifinals. Then in the championship, Sabb and the Wolverines defeated Washington, which was coached by current Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer. … Jihaad Campbell, LB, Jr., Timber Creek. Was third on the team in tackles last year and will again play a big role in the defense. … Naquil Betrand, OL, R-Fr., Northeast H.S. Was at Texas A&M last year but did not play.

» READ MORE: Abdul Carter, QBs Will Howard and Kyle McCord headline Philly representation on Senior Bowl watch list

6. Mississippi — None

7. Notre Dame — Jerry Rullo, LB, Jr., Penn Charter. … Peter Jones, OL, Fr., Malvern Prep

8. Penn State

From Pennsylvania

From New Jersey

» READ MORE: Penn State has high expectations and James Franklin is embracing that

9. Michigan — Stuart Blake, K, Fr., Jenkintown

10. Florida State — Tomiwa Durojaiye, DL, R-Soph., Philadelphia native

11. Missouri — None

12. Utah — None

13. LSU — Craig Walton Jr., CB, R-Fr., Camden; Miles Frazier, fifth-yr. Sr, OL, Camden native

14. Clemson — Markus Dixon, TE, R-Fr., Archbishop Wood

15. Tennessee — None

16. Oklahoma — None

17. Oklahoma State — None

18. Kansas State — None

19. Miami — None

20. Texas A&M — Tyreek Chappell, DB, Sr., Northeast H.S.; Enai White, DL, Jr., Imhotep

21. Arizona — Isaiah Johnson, DL, R-Soph., Camden native

22. Kansas — None

23. USC — Eric Gentry, LB, Sr., Neumann Goretti

24. North Carolina State — None

25. Iowa — None

We miss anybody from the preseason top 25 teams? Gimme a yell at EdBarkowitz2.0@gmail.com.

The playoff expansion many college football fans have been clamoring for will feature 12 teams (up from four) and begin with four first-round games at campus sites on Dec. 20-21. The top four ranked conference champions get a bye to the quarterfinals, which will be the Fiesta, Peach, Rose, and Sugar Bowls (Dec. 31-Jan. 1).

The Orange and Cotton Bowls have the semifinals on Jan. 9-10. The national championship is Jan. 20 in Atlanta.

Who are the favorites?

Georgia (3-1) and Ohio State (4-1) are at the top of most preseason odds boards with Oregon (6-1), Texas (8-1), Alabama (14-1), and Mississippi (14-1) a notch below. Defending champ Michigan is 30-1. Penn State is around 20-1 with an over/under win total of 9.5. Temple is 1,000-1 with a projected win total of 2.5. Odds are via FanDuel and in some cases rounded up.

Five biggest individual moves from a year ago.

ESPN/ABC takes over for CBS as the primary network for SEC games, while CBS will focus on the Big Ten. Notre Dame remains the green and gold apple of NBC’s eye, re-upping with the network on a deal that now runs through 2029.

» READ MORE: Former USC track star Ashton Allen took a ‘leap of faith.’ Now, his speed could be an asset for Temple football.

(AP preseason rank in parentheses)

Aug. 24

Aug. 31

Sept. 7

Sept. 21

Sept. 28

Oct. 5

Oct. 12

Oct. 19

Oct. 26

Nov. 2

Nov. 9

Nov. 16

Nov. 23

Nov. 30

Dec. 6

Dec. 7

Dec. 14

PLAYOFFS

First round at campus sites

Quarterfinals

Semifinals

Championship

Ed Barkowitz is a semiretired sportswriter who is picking Oregon to win this year’s championship.