17 July 2023
MANHATTAN, KS. (KSNT)- With the current popularity of the transfer portal, many college football players wouldn’t wait until their senior year to be the starter.
K-State quarterback Will Howard had patience and loyalty. 2023 will be Howard’s first season with the ‘Cats in which he enters knowing he’s the starter. He backed up Skylar Thompson for two seasons and Adrian Martinez for the start of 2022 before eventually earning the starting job.
He stayed at K-State through it all, and even led the ‘Cats to a Big 12 title last season. In a one-on-one interview, 27 Sports Director Glenn Kinley asked Howard why the transfer portal wasn’t something he considered.
“I love this place too much,” Howard said. “And I love my teammates, and they believed in me. And my coaches believed in me, and I wanted to prove them right. As much as I wanted to prove everyone wrong, I wanted to prove them right.”
Remaining confident in himself was key, even when K-State brought in a quarterback from the transfer portal to start in front of him his junior year.
“I bet on myself,” Howard said. “I said ‘I feel like I’m not going to go anywhere that I would like more than Kansas State.’ I believed in myself. I knew when my time was going to come I was going to be ready.”
He said waiting was a challenge, but one that was worth it.
“As much as it sucked those first two years all that stuff I went through helped me so much, and I wouldn’t be the player or person I am without it,” he said.
He said he learned ‘a ton’ from both Thompson and Martinez.
Despite not being the full-blown starter until now, Howard can be considered an experienced college quarterback. He has appeared in 22 games in his three years with K-State.
In seven games during the 2022 season he averaged over 230 passing yards per game.
Howard’s interview aired Sunday night on KSNT on K-Nation. For more K-Nation content, click here.