Heading into his sophomore season at Penn State, wide receiver Koby Howard continues to draw attention for his play-making ability on the practice field.
“He works really hard at his craft, which is awesome,” head coach Matt Campbell said on Tuesday. “And I think just adding — as any good young player — at the consistency of showing up and being able to do all the little things well.”
However, that same sentiment echoed through the team last year. Whether it was head coach James Franklin, assistant coaches, fellow wide receivers or even defensive backs tasked with guarding Howard, everyone praised the youngster for his skill set.
Yet he didn’t see his first reception until Game 7 against Iowa and, while his snap count and production ticked upward under interim head coach Terry Smith, he finished the season with just seven snags for 133 yards.
“Obviously, I don’t think my confidence ever went away,” Howard said. “Just knowing the player that I am, and having my trust in God, knowing that it’ll happen for me. I mean, last year was rough, and being able to get in the game, it helped me a lot, and I’m just ready to attack this year.”
The former four-star recruit from Florida was viewed as a key retention piece this offseason and credited his relationships with Smith, Campbell and offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser for convincing him to stay.
But when the previous offseason was also brimming with Howard hype, what makes this season different?
For one thing, Howard has been getting first-team reps alongside Iowa State transfers Brett Eskildsen and Chase Sowell, indicating a starting role this fall as a sophomore.
“They’ve been the ones really teaching me the offense, you know, keeping me up if I have a bad practice or whatever, and just bonding with them has been great,” Howard said. “And I’m glad they came over here.”
Throwing to the trio of wideouts — though limited by a pair of shoulder injuries — has been former Cyclone quarterback Rocco Becht. For Howard, building chemistry before the season has also been important.
“That’s my guy … whenever we can throw, we always try to get in Holuba and throw a little bit,” Howard said. “Feel like Rocco’s gonna be a great quarterback this year, and we’re gonna have a lot of fun this year.”
Logging extra reps inside Holuba Hall is nothing new for Howard, who often tossed the pigskin with wide receiver Tyseer Denmark (now at Virginia Tech) after practices last season.
This fall, it seems that extra work will come to fruition with an expanded role in the offense.
