Former Ohio State Buckeye Gets Announced as Starter in Critical Preseason Game

It's rare that a preseason game is ever very important for the Pittsburgh Steelers, but Friday night in eastern Pennsylvania is a massive night for the future of the Pittsburgh organization.

This is the final season of Aaron Rodgers, and the contingency plan has to be put into place. Who is going to take the torch from him as the Steelers try to find their first legitimate quarterback since Ben Roethlisberger was under center?

Friday night will go a long way for both former Buckeye Will Howard and former Penn State Nittany Lion Drew Allar.

They were once rivals for one afternoon in 2024, and now, they might even be more of rivals even though they are wearing the same uniform.

Howard comes into this second preseason game with a little bit of momentum that he got in week one. He led an awesome two-minute drill right down the field that ended in a touchdown. He was smooth, but he was forgotten about thanks to the Allar performance.

Buckeye fans know this more than anyone. When Will Howard's back is against the wall, he comes out swinging and gives his best effort, always. Howard showed that in his only year for the Buckeyes; he was solid during the regular season, but he was spectacular in the Playoff run.

The Ohio State playoff version of Will Howard was the one we all saw during that run. He was confident and decisive as he took care of business.

Now, Friday night certainly isn't make-or-break for Howard regardless of how it goes. If he plays well, he can solidify himself as the No. 2 quarterback behind Rodgers. Or he will fall off to No. 3 or No. 4, and the clock could begin to tick. 

Things in the NFL happen fast, and unfortunately for Howard, he is punching uphill. Since he was a sixth-round pick, he is going to be viewed as a very interchangeable prospect and, more importantly, because Allar was a fourth-round pick and viewed as a first-round talent, he is going to get the benefit of the doubt.

Howard is going to have to take the position. He can't leave anything up to chance and he needs to show that he is the best player for the position. The quarterback competition in Pittsburgh is between two solid players and Friday night will be a big night for both of them.