Like it or not, concerns regarding Jayden Daniels are valid
By John Fye
Preseason accolades regarding Jayden Daniels don’t matter
Jayden Daniels has received a lot of preseason hype from the media this offseason.
Even DVV’s own Luke Hubbard, recently appealed to LSU football fans regarding Daniels’ Heisman Trophy potential. Daniels is ranked the top quarterback in the SEC by about every significant talking head and publication in sports media.
The super-senior-signal-caller was also, one of 85 players recently named to the Maxwell Award Watch List. The Maxwell Trophy recognizes the most outstanding player in college football. Suffice it to say that a spot on the watch list indicates hefty expectations.
Moreover, Daniels is the first LSU football player since Tommy Hodson in 1989 to earn Preseason All-SEC First Team honors at quarterback.
Preseason accolades are nothing more than what looks good on paper. Daniels has earned the attention after a solid 2022 season that included 885 rushing yards and 11 rushing touchdowns. However, the early hype often results in inflated expectations from fans.
I see fans slinging preseason charts and lists to justify why Daniels is the LSU football starting quarterback. Such is laughable, if not unnecessary.
Daniels is ultimately the starter because he has earned the trust of the offensive staff and head coach. Trust also put Daniels over during the Tigers’ Fall 2022 camp. That is not surprising, considering his level of experience.
Nevertheless, of course, Daniels’ play enabled him to keep the job despite some early and late-season stumbles. However, the LSU football starting quarterback cannot afford to stumble much in 2023, or the earned trust will wilt away.
Specifically, the 5th-year senior must avoid struggling in the passing game.