Report: Kansas Quarterback, Jalon Daniels, Out for Season
The College GameDay crew went to Lawrence, Kansas this past weekend. However, it wasn’t the outcome Jayhawk fans were expecting. Lance Leipold and the Kansas Jayhawks suffered their first loss of the season today against TCU losing 38-31. However, their undefeated record isn’t the only thing the Jayhawks lost. Their star quarterback, Jalon Daniels, was knocked out of the game late in the first half with a shoulder injury. After the game, the Jayhawks discovered that the injury was significant. Sources have reported that Daniels suffered a Grade 3 AC joint separation in his throwing shoulder. Daniels will be sidelined for the remainder of the 2022 season if true.
So far this season, Jalon Daniels has been a breakout star for Kansas. Before today’s game, Daniels has led the Jayhawks to a 5-0 record, for the first time since the 2009 season. Before entering Saturday’s game against TCU, the dual-threat quarterback has been terrific. So far on the season, Daniels has thrown for 894 passing yards with 11 passing touchdowns while rushing for 323 yards and five rushing touchdowns. With Daniels explosive start to the season and leading Kansas to a terrific start, he was receiving some national attention in the Heisman race. Now with Daniels likely out for the year, those chances are completely wiped out.
Despite starting 5-1, Kansas has been one of the worst college football programs over the past decade. The Jayhawks have seen a record of 20-109 since the 2011 season and their last winning season was in 2008. With the combination of second-year head coach, Lance Leipold, and Jalon Daniels, the Jayhawks have given their fans a glimpse of hope that the dark days in Lawrence are over. However, with Daniels being injured, the question marks about the rest of the season come into play.
What’s next for the Jayhawks?
Losing Daniels after the unexpected start Kansas has had isn’t ideal. With Daniels out, Leipold and the Jayhawks will turn to senior quarterback Jason Bean to keep their dream season alive. When replacing the injured Daniels in today’s game against TCU, Bean played fairly well for Kansas. In just one half, Bean threw for 262 yards with four touchdowns and an interception. If Bean can play like this for the rest of the season, Kansas might still be dangerous. With the explosive offensive showing Bean put together against TCU, Kansas still might be competitive while Daniels is sidelined.
Meanwhile, it’ll be interesting to see how Kansas finishes their promising start to their season. Without Daniels, the Jayhawks will face a brutal schedule for the remainder of the season. Kansas faces a tough schedule for the remainder of the season. The Jayhawks will face Kansas State, Oklahoma State, Texas, and Baylor. With Daniels being only a junior, and reportedly out for the year, Kansas fans should expect to see the quarterback back next season.
Update: Daniels Doesn’t Rule Out Return
With the news report stating that Daniels will be out for the remainder of the year, Daniels took his thoughts to social media. According to Daniels, the news of him missing the rest of the year is new to his knowledge. The mysterious turn of events around Daniels injury raises questions. It seems like Daniels will miss some time, but maybe not as much as the initial report. Daniels is doubtful for this week’s game against Oklahoma.
