Dartmouth is fresh off their 20th Ivy League championship after an impressive 9-1 season in 2021. One of the top contributors was quarterback Nick Howard who was a 1st Team All-Ivy League selection last season after rushing for over 700 yards and 15 rushing touchdowns. Howard split time with Derek Kyler at the QB position last season, but is primed to be the full-time starter for the Big Green in the 2022 season. Kyler and Howard both received All-Conference honors in the Ivy League at the end of last season, which is extremely rare for a dual quarterback system.
Howard was asked about how his mindset and preparation would change going into the season as QB1 for Dartmouth:
“I think the first thing that changes is overall preparation and that started at the end of last season. There is a lot more things that I’m going to be asked to do this season, which I’m incredibly excited about and I feel very confident in my ability to do those things. Just looking at the role that I am looking to take on for the team… It definitely has some facets that were absent from my game last year because Derek Kyler did those things extremely well. There are definitely some things that come in the form of… Specifically what I’m watching on film, some of the different drills I’ve began to really incorporate in a lot of my workouts. But just minor details and taking in a lot of information that Derek (Kyler) and Jared Gerbino passed down to me and just trying to put forth the best performance I’m able to every week.”
Howard also addressed the notion that he was strictly a running QB and how that impacted him mentally coming into the season:
“Last year I really chose to embrace it. Obviously the majority of my snaps were running the ball. Again I am very confident in my ability to throw the ball and Derek (Kyler) was an extremely capable player as well. I think we complimented each other well. I think the thing that I really enjoy embracing is that half of our team and the people at home still think of me as a linebacker. I take that to heart in a good way and I embrace that mentality. I try to carry that into the weight room, meetings, and hanging out. It’s who I am, it’s who I want to be, and I think that a lot of the other guys and coaching staff too find it entertaining and get a lot of energy out of it.”
Dartmouth opens the 2022 season against Valparaiso on September 17th before traveling to face defending NEC champions Sacred Heart. Howard was selected to the Bluebloods Preseason All-Ivy League and was named a 1st Team All-Ivy League selection by the conference as well.
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