JT Daniels

Bryan Driskell

Apr 17, 2020

The last time many Notre Dame fans saw USC quarterback JT Daniels on the football field was likely when the then freshman quarterback shredded the vaunted Irish pass defense to the tune of 349 yards.

Daniels is now a former USC quarterback, entering his name into the transfer portal. Daniels is one of the best high school quarterbacks of the last decade, and with three seasons of eligibility he’ll likely be a hot commodity.

Coaches from all over the country will likely beat down his door in hopes of getting the talented signal caller to transfer to their program. The question is, should Notre Dame make a push for Daniels.

THE CASE FOR IT

This one is pretty simple, Daniels is extremely talented and he has experience. During his true freshman campaign, Daniels threw for 2,672 yards and 14 touchdowns. Those aren’t numbers that will blow anyone away, but he was a true freshman that skipped his senior season to enroll early in college.

I saw Daniels at a Notre Dame camp prior to his sophomore season of high school and he spun the ball as well as any high school or college quarterback I’ve ever seen. USC will likely regret choosing scheme over talent at the quarterback position and letting Daniels walk.

Daniels has a big arm, he’s accurate and he’s a good enough athlete to move the chains if teams lose pass lane discipline. He didn’t show that as a freshman, but go back and watch his junior season in high school and you’ll see a young man with quality athleticism and mobility. As he gets older, stronger and continues adding more experience his ability to dominate with his arm and mind will be enhanced.

If Daniels gets into the right system with the right coach he should once again be on course to develop into a star quarterback. All the tools are there, he just has to mature, use his current circumstance to add some much-needed humility and then turn all of that into motivation to remind everyone of just how talented he is.

Speaking specifically about Notre Dame, Daniels would fit well in the “pass-first” offense that Brian Kelly desires. We’ve seen Kelly’s offense thrive before with a quarterback who wasn’t a runner. Daniels is far more a athletic than Cincinnati quarterback Tony Pike was, and Pike was brilliant under Kelly in 2009. Daniels also has significant more physical talent and athleticism than Tommy Rees, who put up impressive passing numbers in 2013.

With the weapons that Notre Dame has landed in recent seasons, and the talent Notre Dame will have blocking for Daniels, there is little doubt the Irish offense could be tremendous with Daniels at the helm.

THE CASE AGAINST IT

The first question that must be asked is whether or not Daniels plans to fight to gain immediate eligibility.

If he does then Notre Dame would not be an option. Let’s be honest, right or wrong, agree or disagree with the decision, there is no scenario I can see where Kelly would actually allow a competition at quarterback. We already saw it with another talented 2018 quarterback (Phil Jurkovec), and I don’t see Kelly allowing Daniels to actually come in and challenge Book.

If Daniels plans on sitting out a season there are other concerning aspects to this. Is Notre Dame place with the kind of culture that would allow an outside like this, and one from USC, to come in and take hold of a leadership position?

There would also need to be questions about Daniels being willing to come in and compete for the job. Will Daniels be looking for a guarantee to start in 2021? I have little doubt he would not only win the starting job, but he would be outstanding in a Notre Dame uniform, but he would still need to earn it.

He would also need to show he’s willing to battle for the position, which would help him win over his teammates. No matter how talented a guy is, a five-star player that is given promises or guarantees is going to create resentment among some teammates if it’s perceived he didn’t have to fight for his position the way everyone else must compete.

THE CONCLUSION

If Daniels is looking for an immediate waiver to play then there is no reason for Notre Dame to waste its time pursuing him. There’s just no way Kelly would allow Daniels to challenge Book. I personally wouldn’t agree with that, but it is what it is.

But if Daniels is willing to sit out a year and compete, then Notre Dame should absolutely make a push for him. It would be foolish not to do so, if we're being honest.

He had early interest in Notre Dame as a high school player, which is why he attended Irish Invasion. There’s a lot Notre Dame could sell to Daniels beyond just having great talent blocking for him and a lot of weapons around him.

Daniels coming on would also be great for Tyler Buchner. I know some Irish fans have convinced themselves that Buchner would be able to come in and win the Heisman Trophy as a true freshman, but the reality is having to sit a year and learn would be ideal. Daniels would be eligible for the 2021 and 2022 seasons, but if he lights it up at Notre Dame in 2021 he would likely have a shot to leave for the NFL.

That would set Buchner and Drew Pyne to battle for the starting job in 2022.

Be sure to stay locked into Irish Breakdown all the time!

. Follow me on twitter:

Comments (18)Sort: OldestNo. 1-9Jacob15Apr 17I’m all for pursuing him. Look at the top programs; they’re never satisfied and are always looking for ways to upgrade the most important position.

Ohio State- Justin Fields LSU- Joe Burrow Georgia- Jamie Newman Oklahoma- Jalen Hurts/Baker Mayfield

LikeReplyQuotechamgelApr 18I’d take him in a heartbeat.... I don’t think we land him because of the reasons mentioned, especially if he wants to play immediately, but our QB depth chart isn’t in a position to turn away players of his talent if the opportunity is there...

2ReplyQuoteJack SullivanEditor

Apr 18Not only would I check in on him, I’d put every resource into trying to land Daniels.

He’d be the best quarterback during his time at Notre Dame, so I don’t understand how someone could make the argument that he shouldn’t be pursued.

LikeReplyQuoteT_RICCIOApr 18Bryan - you mentioned that "That would set Buchner and Drew Pyne to battle for the starting job in 2022", why is not Clark in the mix?

2 Replies LikeReplyQuoteMatt0315Apr 18I would sign up for JT Daniels in a heartbeat

LikeReplyQuoteirish4life2Apr 18My guess is he ends up at either Michigan or a PAC-12 school. I've always thought the guy was massively overrated to be honest, so I'd be fine if we stay away from this one.

7 Replies LikeReplyQuoteJherbeck91Apr 18He would be the most talented QB on the roster the day he steps on campus. I don’t think it would happen but would enjoy having another really talented QB in the mix, never hurts.

LikeReplyQuoteirish_polakApr 18Simple answer: yes. It would be stupid to not attempt to bring one of the best qbs out there, especially one who would fit nicely into the scheme Kelly/Rees wants

LikeReplyQuoteIrish For LifeApr 20Talent is a big plus period. The more talented athletes competing to start is very healthy. Talking to him is absolutely worth it. If he doesn't fit in at ND or if ND doesn't fit what he he is looking for than say thanks for you time and walk away.

LikeReplyQuote ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

FEATUREDCOMMUNITY Bryan Driskell

16 hours ago

Like Bryan Driskell

a day ago

2 Bryan Driskell

5 hours ago

Like Bryan Driskell

May 28, 2020

Like Nathan Erbach

25 minutes ago

Like Bryan Driskell

May 22, 2020

Like Mason Plummer

9 hours ago

Like Bryan Driskell

May 27, 2020

Like Nathan Erbach

May 28, 2020

Like Bryan Driskell

May 28, 2020

Like [https://sb.scorecardresearch.com/p?c1=2&c2=27019031&cv=2.0&cj=1] JT Daniels 'Definitely' Staying at USC to Compete for Starting QB ...

JT Daniels 'Definitely' Staying at USC to Compete for Starting QB ...

By using this site, you agree to the and

Close Icon

Harry How/Getty ImagesUSC quarterback JT Daniels, who suffered a season-ending torn ACL and meniscus in Week 1 against Fresno State, will return to school next season and compete for the starting job with Kedon Slovis.

Steve Daniels, who is JT's father, relayed the information to of 247Sports:

"JT is definitely staying. He's happy for [USC head coach ] and has a great relationship with him but to be honest, no matter what happened with the coaching situation, JT was going to stay and compete. He loves it at SC, he has an SC tattoo on his leg so he's pretty committed to the program.

"He's a very competitive kid and has never run from a challenge before. Kedon played really well and JT was happy for him but at the same time, JT is a competitor and once he's back to 100%, he wants to compete for that job."

The news of Daniels' return comes after USC athletic director Mike Bohn that head coach Clay Helton will be coming back for the 2020 season.

The Trojans just finished an 8-4 regular season after going 5-7 the year before.

Daniels started for the Trojans as a true freshman in 2018, completing 59.5 percent of his passes for 14 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

The quarterback looked as though he was primed for a huge leap in year two, however. of the Los Angeles Times spoke with USC coaches and players who noted that the signal-caller looked "more relaxed" in the system run by new offensive coordinator Graham Harrell.

Daniels also put himself into a strict offseason training regimen, per , which included a diet change, blood testing and sessions with a mental conditioning consultant.

He looked much improved against Fresno State, completing 25 of 34 passes for 215 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Unfortunately, an awkward sack forced Daniels to the sideline for the remainder of 2019.

Slovis has done well in his place, completing 71.8 percent of his pass attempts for 28 touchdowns and nine interceptions. The Trojans won five of their last six regular-season games with Slovis behind center.

The intrigue now is whether Slovis or Daniels will be calling signals in 2020. For his part, Daniels seems on track for a healthy return, per his father:

"He had the surgery in September and his goal is to make it back in 10 months. He's doing double time in his rehab, every morning and again after school. Then he goes out and catches an hour of practice just to stay connected with the team and be supportive of the players.

"He's very excited though and so driven, I've never seen him more motivated before. He obviously won't be back by spring ball but if it's a 10 month recovery, that puts him back by July and in time for fall camp. He's going to be supportive and a great teammate regardless like he was this past year but he's excited about the opportunity as well so we'll see what happens."

Whoever starts in 2020 has a rough opening test, as the Alabama Crimson Tide await on Sept. 5.

Do Not Sell My Personal Information Your Privacy Your Privacy When you visit any website, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. This information might be about you, your preferences or your device and is mostly used to make the site work as you expect it to. The information does not usually directly identify you, but it can give you a more personalized web experience. Because we respect your right to privacy, you can choose not to allow some types of cookies. Click on the different category headings to find out more and change our default settings. However, blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience of the site and the services we are able to offer.

Select All Vendors Select All HostsSelect All

Information storage and accessApplyNo, Allow Sharing Save and Close USC QB JT Daniels, former 5-star recruit, exploring transfer

USC QB JT Daniels, former 5-star recruit, exploring transfer

USC quarterback JT Daniels announced on Thursday he will enter the transfer portal ahead of the 2020 season.

Daniels, a former five-star recruit and one of the top QBs in the 2018 class, won the starting job as a true freshman and made 11 starts in 2018, throwing for 2,672 yards and 14 touchdowns. He was USC's Week 1 starter in 2019, but in a win over Fresno State.

"I love this university, coaching staff, and team. To me it is in my best interest to explore all my options going into the 2020 season," in a statement. "I will remain in contact with the coaching staff through the process. USC remains one of my options, and that door has remained open for me."

True freshman Kedon Slovis appeared in 12 games with Daniels out of the lineup last season. Slovis threw for 3,502 yards and 30 touchdowns, averaging 8.9 yards per attempt.

USC finished at 8–5 with Slovis last season, bouncing back over .500 after a 5–7 mark in 2018. Head coach Clay Helton, after the 2019 season, is 40–22 in five seasons with the Trojans.

USC quarterback JT Daniels has suffered an ACL injury and meniscus tear and is out for the remainder of the 2019 season.

Who leads the list of QBs that could still wind up in a new home this spring or summer?

Freshman Kedon Slovis will serve as the backup quarterback.

True freshman quarterback Kedon Slovis started the second half for the Trojans.

Daniels has won the starting slot ahead of the team's season opener on Sept. 1.

King played the first four games of 2019 before redshirting the remainder of the season.

J.T. Daniels earned the starting job, leaving Jack Sears exploring other options.

The Cardinal defense shined against USC in Week 2, stopping the Trojans and their young quarterback from scoring a single touchdown in 17–3 win.

Loading…MORE

All Articles

JT Daniels

More articles: