What KU coach Lance Leipold said after quarterback Jalon Daniels missed season opener
Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels, who dealt with back tightness for most of fall camp, did not start KU’s season opener against Missouri State.
Daniels was on the field warming up before the game. Backup quarterback Jason Bean instead started Friday night’s contest and led the Jayhawks (1-0) to a 48-17 victory.
After the game, KU coach Lance Leipold explained the decision to sit Daniels.
“Jalon is feeling better but didn’t have enough practice reps to feel comfortable as the season (approached),” Leipold said. “... When you watch Jalon warm up, he’s been good. It’s kind of a day-to-day thing. Making sure he feels right.
Starting in place of Daniels, Bean was 22-of-28 passing for 276 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions.
“I thought Jason played really well,” Leipold said. “He really did. ... He had six incompletions, some 50/50 balls. ... He played really well out there.”
Leipold added Bean knew he would likely start due to the number of reps he took at practice.
“Jalon was just getting back to practicing things,” Leipold said. “It was hopeful there, but it was a good problem to have.”
Bean was asked when he officially knew he was starting but gave a guarded response: “That’s something I am going to keep between me and my coach.”
The latest injury news on Daniels came as somewhat of a surprise after Leipold hinted at the possibility of Daniels starting earlier in the week, though he did not explicitly say it would happen.
Asked if Daniels would start Game 1, Leipold referenced the depth chart (which lists Daniels as the starting QB), then noted Daniels had been through a full practice on Monday.
Pregame, the video board also announced Daniels as the starter, likely due to his depth-chart listing.
“He hasn’t practiced a lot, but he went through everything today,” Leipold said on Monday. “We’ll play everyone that’s available.”
Later, Leipold added of Daniels: “I think we are in a really good spot.”
Daniels’ back-tightness issues were first reported on following an Aug. 7 practice. Daniels was present at the practice but didn’t take any reps. On Aug. 16, Leipold stated again that Daniels had been limited at practice.
Managing Daniels’ injury has been a balancing act for the KU coaching staff.
“We are giving him as much work as we can in many different ways,” Leipold said Monday. “He’s been getting work and he’s been doing things. It’s not like he’s never practiced in the last two weeks — (to say that) is not accurate either.
“We’re confident. Unfortunately for him, it is something that he’s gone through a little bit before, getting mental reps and doing things (with) where he’s at. But I think we are in a really good spot.”
Daniels missed four games due to a shoulder injury last season but still put together a career year.
Over nine games, Daniels threw for 2,014 passing yards with 18 passing touchdowns and four interceptions while running for 425 yards and seven more touchdowns. He earned an All-Big 12 second-team selection.
While Daniels is KU’s No. 1 quarterback, Bean did an admirable job filling in last season.
Bean, a returning super-senior, started the four contests that Daniels missed and threw for 10 touchdowns to three interceptions. He threw for 970 passing yards and rushed for 169 more. He added three touchdowns on the ground.
As a starter, Bean went 1-3 in 2022. The Jayhawks went 6-7 (3-6 Big 12) and fell in the Liberty Bowl to Arkansas.
This story was originally published September 1, 2023 at 7:08 PM.
