The USC Trojans, in early December, were considering Will Howard as their 2024 starting quarterback. Lincoln Riley visited Howard. Later in the month, Howard paid a visit to USC. Interest was considerable, but a final commitment never occurred.
Riley and Howard likely stated their positions in their talks, though neither party has disclosed exactly what has been said. Riley likely told Howard what he wanted from his 2024 USC offense. Howard likely asked Riley if a transfer to USC would mean guaranteed QB1 status, or if Howard would have to battle Miller Moss for that role.
Riley likely told Howard to wait until after the Holiday Bowl, in which Moss was going to play the whole game. Then USC and Riley would have a much better idea of where they wanted to go at quarterback in 2024.
We all saw what happened. Moss dominated the game and established himself as the QB1 for USC. Howard had to have known he was out of the picture in Los Angeles.
He then transferred to Ohio State, as noted by Buckeyes Wire.
Howard versus Moss — the quarterback USC almost got versus the quarterback USC will have — will dominate the conversation at USC (and Ohio State) in the offseason, continuing into September and the start of the 2024 campaign. We will see how these journeys affect USC, Ohio State, and the balance of power in the 2024 Big Ten.
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