Ryan Day evaluated what he saw out of Will Howard’s first start for Ohio State in the season opener. While the scoreboard showed a blowout win over Akron, Day did not feel the performance was a truly flawless one from the offense.

Talking about the offense after the game, Day said he saw “some early jitters going on for some of those guys,” and he included Howard and freshman wide receiver Jeremiah Smith in his comments. Smith had an early drop and blocking miscue while Howard started 6-for-16 passing the ball.

It resulted in a few misses on a “couple plays off here and there early on,” according to Day. Fortunately, the offense as a whole “got into a rhythm” in the 2nd half.

As for a specific grade on Howard’s outing, Day jokingly deferred to reviewing the film. He quickly added he likes Howard’s demeanor and leadership with the team.

“I’ve gotta watch the film first. I like his demeanor on the field. He takes control,” described Day. “You can see his ability to throw the ball, his ability to make plays with his feet. But the No. 1 job is we need him to lead. You saw that in the 2nd half. For his first start, well done.”

After shaking off the rust, Howard was able to finish the game with a total line of 17-for-28 passing with 228 yards and 3 touchdowns. He also displayed his ability to move the ball with his legs, giving Ohio State another factor to use in the offense.

While things were not perfect, Howard provided plenty of hope for the rest of the season with his debut.