KU freshman quarterback Jalon Daniels making ‘spectacular’ throws, Les Miles says
Kansas football coach Les Miles says true freshman quarterback Jalon Daniels has improved at a rapid rate in this, Daniels’ first season at KU.
“Jalon Daniels is maturing every week,” Miles said Monday of the 6-foot, 205-pound-native of Lawndale, California. “Some of the throws, if you look at them they are spectacular throws. We are getting him in position to help him be our leader,” Miles added during his weekly video news conference.
Daniels has completed 61 of 108 passes for 546 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions in five games this season for KU, which will take an 0-6 record, 0-5 in Big 12 play into Saturday’s 2:30 p.m. game at Oklahoma (4-2, 3-2). He missed most of the Oklahoma State game on Oct. 3 and all of the West Virginia contest on Oct. 17 because of an ankle injury.
Daniels has rushed for 83 net yards on 53 carries and scored three rushing touchdowns. His long run from scrimmage is 13 yards. Daniels said Monday in his first interview with reporters this season that he’s hoping to soon connect on his first college TD pass.
“I feel that has to do with me being gun-shy. I don’t want to make that mistake so I pull back from making the plays I know I can make sometimes,” Daniels said. He completed 16 of 29 passes for 165 yards, no TDs and one interception and rushed for 36 yards on 16 carries with one rushing TD and one lost fumble in Saturday’s 52-22 home loss to Iowa State.
Offensive coordinator Brent Dearmon is trying to help Daniels become comfortable enough that he starts connecting on big pass plays for scores.
“Fire the trigger,” is Dearmon’s main message, Daniels said. “As a freshman quarterback you always have that thought in the back of your mind, ‘Don’t make a mistake.’ When I come to the sideline, Coach Dearmon usually tells me to pull the trigger, don’t hold back on throws, make the throws you know you can make. He always has faith in me I can make the throws. Something I have to work on is pulling the trigger.”
Daniels said Dearmon and MIles both encourage him to slide on plays he decides to scramble to pick up first downs.
“They always encourage me to get down and not take as many hits. But growing up as a quarterback I can’t shy away from what I’ve always been doing,” Daniels said, “which is always try to make a play, always put energy in making the first down and move the sticks.”
Daniels still remembers the first hit he endured as a college QB.
“It was against Baylor. I got high-lowed in the backfield. That was one of those hits. I was like, ‘OK, this is college football, let’s prepare for the next play,’’’ Daniels said.
Daniels limped off the field and headed to the locker room with four minutes left in Saturday’s Iowa State game. He suffered an ankle injury, as he did in the first quarter of a home loss to Oklahoma State.
“When it happened I thought I injured it by doing the same thing again. I automatically went into shock thinking, ‘Dang, is this the same thing?’ When I got in the locker room I started walking around and said, ‘This is not the same pain that happened in the Oklahoma State game.’ I think I’ll be OK,” Daniels said.
Miles — he has said he is committed to starting a healthy Daniels the rest of the season — was asked Monday to describe in one word what he liked the most about the freshman prospect.
“No one takes one word. They say something like, ‘Nice smile.’ For me that would be the piece I would enjoy (the most),” Miles said, using two words to describe the California native. “It means he’s put all those things that are important in order such that he can step into a huddle or step into a practice and put a smile on his face and go to work hard and be enjoyed by his teammates. That’s my one word, ‘smile.’’’
Miles smiles when he thinks of the future of Daniels, who turned 18 last Thursday.
“There’s no quarterback that I have ever been a part of in his development that had so little time to improve,” Miles said of Daniels, who first arrived on campus in June. KU had several weeks of voluntary summer workouts shut down because of COVID-19.
“I think what he’s gotten accomplished is an amazing thing considering we are going through things that in an adult mind this is not a normal year. This pandemic is something that is very difficult to describe. You have a true freshman stepping into a very athletic conference, teaching him things about running the ball, teaching him things about throwing the ball, teaching him about his reads. Those are all things that take time.”
Daniels, who said he had no idea he’s be KU’s starter this soon in his career, remains confident the program will be a winner in a short period of time.
“I feel we are going to do a lot of big things. We have a lot of big things coming our way,” Daniels said.
The Jayhawks, who practiced Sunday and Monday, will not practice Tuesday on Election Day.
“I can tell you I encouraged them to get out and vote,” Miles said. “If they wanted to make a difference in this world that was the very significant difference, just vote.”
