This Jayhawks QB was supposed to redshirt this year. There’s a revised plan for him now
Kansas coach Lance Leipold admitted Tuesday that this week presented one of the most “unique balancing act decisions” of his coaching career following KU’s 57-56 overtime victory at Texas on Saturday.
The situation: Leipold and staff spoke to quarterback Jalon Daniels a few weeks back about having him redshirt this year, which would require him to play in four games or fewer.
Two weeks, though, KU had two quarterbacks go down with injury which forced Daniels on the field for his third contest. The next week, against Texas, Daniels led the Jayhawks while posting the highest Pro Football Focus single-game grade for a KU QB since the site started tracking in 2010.
So what now for the sophomore QB? Play KU’s last two games and burn a potential redshirt year, or sit out and save it?
Leipold said he spoke to Daniels and his parents Monday afternoon, and Daniels had committed to his choice.
“He sees the momentum of what this team is doing, what it’s done for our locker room,” Leipold said. “He’s all in to help us build this program, and he wants to play.”
KU still will be seeing Daniels plenty if he continues this trajectory. As a sophomore, he has two years of eligibility left after this, then also would qualify for an extra super-senior year because of COVID if the Jayhawks choose to award him a scholarship then.
Leipold also noted Tuesday that if Daniels got hurt or had other circumstances in future years, he still has a redshirt available if ever needed.
As he’s often done, Leipold declined to name a starting quarterback in his Tuesday press conference for Saturday’s road game at TCU. But his smile basically gave away his intentions when admitting Daniels was “gonna play” in some capacity Saturday.
Leipold made clear, though, that the final say still had to come down to Daniels and his family. He said and two other offensive staff members talked with Daniels’ parents Monday afternoon while saying they’d respect whatever they decided to do.
KU’s preference, Leipold said, was that Daniels continue to play while trying to keep the momentum going from the Texas win for the players and fanbase. Yet, Leipold also said he made it clear to the family it didn’t matter what he wanted; his decision was what Daniels picked.
“I was very comfortable with how I stated it,” Leipold said, “because I know then I’m being true to the player himself.”
Leipold said speaking with Daniels’ family this week ended up being “one of the more positive, interactive, collaborated decisions that I’ve been able to be a part of.”
This all goes back to trust, Leipold said, as about eight weeks ago, the family had faith in the staff when it suggested Daniels pursue a redshirt.
“When you have to build those relationships, especially with guys that you weren’t part of the recruiting process, if I break that and tell him he has to play, what does that do?” Leipold said. “What does it do to the locker room? Was it do for future the program?”
Daniels was part of a three-man race for starting quarterback in August practices with Jason Bean and Miles Kendrick. Leipold revealed Tuesday that a couple weeks before Game 1, Daniels suffered from a dead arm, which required recovery time.
“When he had to be shut down,” Leipold said, “it put him behind.”
Bean started KU’s first nine games before suffering an apparent wrist/hand injury against K-State. Leipold said Bean only would’ve been available in an emergency-type situation against Texas after not practicing much last week. Bean, though, has returned to practice this week.
In Bean’s place against Texas, Daniels completed 21 of 30 passes for 202 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions.
After watching film, Leipold said he was pleased with Daniels’ confidence, energy and accuracy.
“His statistics showed he had a pretty impressive night,” Leipold said. “But even when things weren’t there, he didn’t get flustered. He didn’t press. All those things I just was highly impressed with.”
This story was originally published November 16, 2021 at 3:13 PM.
