Having previously been announced as the starter for Kansas’ season opener against Missouri State, Jalon Daniels is expected to make his season debut this week. For real this time. Brett McMurphy of Action Network reported Sunday that Daniels, the Big 12 preseason Offensive Player of the Year, is expected to play Friday vs. Illinois.
Kansas QB Jalon Daniels, who missed last week's game vs. Missouri State w/back tightness, expected to play Friday vs. Illinois, source told @ActionNetworkHQ. Daniels is Big 12 preseason Offensive Player of Year
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) September 3, 2023
While Daniels was announced as the starter for the season opener and participated in pregame warmups, he was held out in Week 1 after previously being limited during fall camp due to back tightness. Instead, Jason Bean was under center for the Jayhawks and had an admirable showing in a 48-17 drubbing, as he completed 22-of-28 passes for 276 yards with two touchdowns.
Daniels is coming off a season in which he received some early Heisman buzz.
Four weeks into the 2022 season, ESPN listed Daniels among the leading contenders to win the Heisman trophy. While that feat went to USC’s Caleb Williams, Daniels had placed himself in the conversation. While a shoulder injury forced him to miss multiple games, and all but derailed any Heisman talk, Daniels passed for 2,014 yards with 18 touchdowns and four interceptions. He also rushed for 425 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground.
Daniels led Kansas to its first Bowl appearance in more than a decade. He threw for 544 yards with five touchdown passes in the Jayhawks’s 55-53 triple-overtime loss to Arkansas in the Liberty Bowl.
As he looks to build off the magic he created last season, Daniels will be back under center against Illinois.
