COMMENTARY
PHOENIX — The book on Skyler Howard, so thin entering last year’s Liberty Bowl, now features a 14-start sample size.
Heading to Memphis, he gave the Mountaineers a jolt of dash and daring. One year later, the newness has worn off and he’s 8-7 as a starter. While I contend West Virginia wouldn’t have reached a bowl game without him, Howard mostly strikes me as a player fans would adore as a backup but nowhere near what power-conference programs seek in a starter.
After an underwhelming junior season, he points to making strides in game-management situations.
“It’s a different mindset, especially for me, because that (Liberty Bowl) was my second start and this is my 13th of the season,” Howard said. “It’s night-and-day for me, just as far as the approach to the game, the experience that I had throughout the season. I’ve learned something new every week, of course, from every game.”
Entering Saturday night’s Cactus Bowl, Howard’s numbers mark the epitome of mediocre. He’s fifth in the Big 12 in passing efficiency and 64th nationally out of 114 ranked quarterbacks. After avoiding turnovers early in the season, he slipped to the point where his rate of one interception every 29.3 passes ranks only ninth in the conference.
A featured facet of West Virginia’s ground game, Howard made 149 carries—only three fewer than Rushel Shell. As a result of that contact, which included 28 sacks, Howard played most of the K-State season finale on a sprained ankle and endured two games with a bandaged right throwing hand.
“Yeah, it hurt,” he said. “There was a time, I’m sure y’all saw, I couldn’t shake anybody’s hand—always going lefty. That has to say something about how bad it’s hurting.
“On the throwing hand, I messed up just the end of that finger. Just that will throw you off a little bit. It’s all about precision.”
During the games in which the hand injury was a factor, West Virginia beat Kansas and Iowa State by a combined count of 79-6. Unlike most quarterbacks who bolstered their stats against two of the nation’s leakiest pass defenses, Howard’s numbers were unimpressive: 25-of-48 for two touchdowns and two interceptions.
More debilitating than any injury, however, was the inconsistency of West Virginia’s young receivers. That could be remedied when eight of the team’s top nine receivers return in 2016.
Barring the addition of a graduate transfer or the rapid development by William Crest, Howard portends to be West Virginia’s starter again next season. That might not breed much optimism from the fans who booed Howard periodically this season, though offenses typically prosper under senior quarterbacks with multiple years in the same system.
Howard diplomatically handled questions about his home-team critics.
“I’m just playing ball, you know. I’m trying to think about how to say this in a nice way: I’ve been playing ball since I was 5 years old. (Those fans) weren’t there when I was 5 years old, so I’m going to continue what I was doing. I’ve done it all my life.
“I hear it. I’ve taken it into account. I won’t forget it throughout my next season at West Virginia. There’s no doubt I won’t forget it. It just makes me who I am as a player, made me play the way I play.”
This year’s bowl game at Chase Field could help squelch some of the doubters, or send West Virginia into the offseason with a .500 quarterback.