SEC Football: 3 possible destinations for LSU QB Walker Howard

One of the biggest SEC football players at the quarterback position to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal this offseason is the former elite five-star recruit and true freshman LSU Tigers signal-caller Walker Howard.

A report from Mike Scarborough of TigerBait.com on Jan. 11 was one of the first to break the news that Howard will be entering the transfer portal after spending one year in Baton Rouge under first-year head coach Brian Kelly. Howard wound up getting beat out for the starting quarterback job by the former Arizona State Sun Devils senior transfer Jayden Daniels.

During his one season playing for the Tigers, Howard only saw action in two games, tallying up 22 offensive snaps. In those two outings, he completed two passes on four attempts, good for just seven yards. He doesn’t register any passing touchdowns or interceptions in 2022.

Howard also picked up 33 rushing yards on six attempts with no rushing scores in the season that was.

Since Howard didn’t play in more than four games during his true freshman campaign, he will have four years of eligibility remaining at his next stop out of the portal.

Possible transfer destinations for SEC football freshman QB Walker Howard

With that in mind, here’s a look at three possible transfer destinations for the former freshman LSU QB Howard.

Mississippi State

There aren’t many obvious landing spots for a young and talented quarterback such as Howard out of the portal at this point of the transfer cycle where he could start right away at a Power Five school. Most Power Five landing spots at this point for Howard would see him have to compete for a starting job.

But one of the schools where he could realistically be in line to be the starting quarterback by the beginning of the 2024 season is the Mississippi State Bulldogs. Rising senior quarterback Will Rogers will be the starter at the position for new head coach Zach Arnett and OC Kevin Barbay heading into the 2023 season.

Howard could be the next man up for Arnett and Barbay in Starkville if he’s willing to hold the backup job in 2023. He would be a good fit in this offensive scheme where Barbay looks to run an up-tempo pro-style offense.

Mississippi State is also a school that is pretty close to home for the Louisiana native Howard that offered him during his recruitment out of high school.

There is some level of familiarity for Howard with Starkville and some of the coaches remaining on Arnett’s staff in 2023. This landing spot could make sense for the former five-star quarterback if he’s willing to be patient in a QB room until 2024.