In Ohio State's second day of preseason camp, Will Howard, the transfer quarterback from Kansas State, showcased a much-improved performance, leaving a positive impression on both teammates and coaching staff. After a lackluster first day, Howard displayed remarkable deep accuracy during Friday's practice, connecting on multiple long passes with precision and delivering a beautiful wheel-route completion to TreVeyon Henderson. Howard's pocket presence and ability to read the field were also evident as he worked through progressions, finding open receivers for completions in both team drills and 7-on-7 sessions.

Although not without a few miscues, such as dropping a snap and narrowly avoiding an interception, Howard's overall performance was marked by significant progress. His consistency and improved deep accuracy showed promise for the upcoming season.

The other quarterbacks also left a strong impression during Friday's practice. Devin Brown connected on a long deep ball to Jeremiah Smith early on, and later closed the practice with a beautiful deep completion to Bryson Rodgers. True freshman Julian Sayin impressed with his arm strength, threading multiple intermediate throws between coverage to Will Kacmarek and showcasing his ability to evade pass-rushers while still maintaining his focus downfield.

While the quarterback position remains a question mark for Ohio State, Friday's practice provided a glimpse of the potential and collective talent of the quarterbacks vying for playing time. The competition for the starting spot continues to intensify as each quarterback seeks to prove themselves.

On the defensive side, redshirt freshman cornerback Calvin Simpson-Hunt stood out, consistently providing tight coverage and breaking up three passes during 7-on-7 drills. Simpson-Hunt, alongside Aaron Scott Jr., has been lining up as the second-string outside cornerbacks behind starters Denzel Burke and Davison Igbinosun. Jermaine Mathews Jr., who previously held the top backup outside cornerback position, has transitioned to practicing at nickel due to Lorenzo Styles Jr.'s absence as he recovers from a shoulder injury.

Carson Hinzman, who missed the opening practice due to illness, returned to the field on Friday. While expected to potentially start at right guard, Hinzman spent his first practice working at center, anchoring an offensive line unit that included Josh Simmons, Donovan Jackson, Luke Montgomery, and George Fitzpatrick. Ohio State utilized split offensive lines for the second consecutive day, with Seth McLaughlin and Josh Fryar leading another unit alongside Zen Michalski, Austin Siereveld, and Tegra Tshabola. The only change in the two offensive line units from Thursday to Friday was Hinzman replacing Joshua Padilla, who now finds himself on third-team duty.

Additionally, the practice saw freshman punter Nick McLarty demonstrate his potential, launching a coffin-corner punt that traveled over 75 yards before landing in the back right corner of the end zone. Despite some inconsistencies in his punting performance, McLarty's strikes have consistently surpassed those of his competitors, Anthony Venneri and Joe McGuire, positioning him as a formidable contender for the starting punter role.

In a show of widespread interest, representatives from the English Premier League soccer club Manchester City attended Friday's practice ahead of their friendly match against Chelsea at Ohio Stadium. Alongside them, scouts from several NFL teams, including the Kansas City Chiefs, Carolina Panthers, Detroit Lions, San Francisco 49ers, and Indianapolis Colts, were also present, keeping a keen eye on the Buckeyes' talent.

As the preseason camp progresses, the Ohio State Buckeyes are proving their skill and potential on both sides of the ball. The intense competition among the quarterbacks, strong performances from the cornerbacks, promising offensive line combinations, and remarkable special teams displays all contribute to the anticipation surrounding the team's upcoming season opener.