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The quarter of Kansas Jalon Daniels arrived in Texas in July with a unique distinction: it was his fourth time representing his school during the Big 12 Media Day. It is not exactly the two Heismans of Archie Griffin, but the figures of the star of Kansas in the Nile and Portal of Transfer, no one will reproduce its feat.
“I tried to say to Comishist (Brett Yormmark),” you could also go ahead and put a banner: JD here four years in a row, baby! “” Said Daniels laughing.
It is the type of lightness and self-awareness that comes from a player who has experienced just about all that a quarter-rear can have thrown him.
Two years ago, Daniels wore a silver costume with a red tie and an Apple Watch pendant around his neck which displayed his reflections in 2022 on a loop. As remarkable as some of the images are, or as sumptuous as jewelry, the most impressive thing was his words. He told a story at the time, it was not only the way he had arrived at the moment. He also gave one of the best parenting lessons that I have ever heard.
I was a sports editor twice as long as I am a parent. I have trained my son in football for five years. Sports for young people can be incredible. It can also be silent, frustrating and confusing, especially if your child loves him even more than you.
It is human nature for children to compare themselves to others their age. Their parents are often guilty to do so too (I am guilty). Each practice can look like a decisive moment (also guilty of this). Only this is not the case.
But the more I learned about Daniels, the more his story has become insightful and applicable for me – and I hope that for other parents and young athletes too.
Daniels’ career testifies to playing long game, which is becoming more and more difficult to do at that time of instant gratuity and online ranking. Here are my four favorite lessons that I learned from its history.
Press your support system early
Daniels was part of one of the most stacked quarter recruitment courses to get out of a recent memory field.
He graduated in 2020 by Lawndale High in Southern California, not far from the place where the two best recruits in the country, Bryce Young and Dj Uiagalelei, also played. CJ CJ QB Five-Star Stroud was from the region. Daniels was classified behind other 22 other quarters in the state of California only and had not even had a recruitment profile, even fewer stars, before just before his senior season.
How exactly has a young milestone stayed at the earth and has not discouraged?
“Honestly, I had this prospect at the time,” he said. “My first year humiliated me for real. Going through the first year, I thought I was the best. It humiliated me so much because I saw DJ, Balling (as) recruit. I barely play in the first year. He obtained offers; I don’t do it. What do I hurt? I am not in the same situation. ”.
Daniels attributes to his mother, star, for having instilled him a journey and a determination to stay on the way.
“I can’t even imagine how a parent has seen your child do as much as he can, as much as he is ready to do to try to go where he is going, and things don’t happen,” he said. “I just have to give accessories to my mother and stepfather to have been able to keep me on the ground. Now that I look back, it’s so easy to hurt things like that.”
Find the positive in your situation
The low point for milestone and star came during his second year of high school. His coach told him, according to the way this practice was going on, that he was going to go to the junior university team or stay in the first year team for another year.
A few hours later, Daniels returned to his mother’s car and slipped into the siege.
“He makes me do the first year (football) again,” he told his mother.
Star’s heart broke for her son. “You could say he wanted to cry,” she said.
She was not about to start the 20 minutes by car until her point of view changes.
“When milestone is in his head on something, we stop and face it right away,” she said. “When he has these moments, I need milestones to see my face. I need him to see where I am because if I am passionate about what you want, I need you not lose this passion. ”
She made sure that he understood the situation by seeing him. He was still small and had not yet struck his growth in growth. These children on JV were tall. Maybe the coaches did not think he was physically ready to go up. In addition, she told him, perhaps the coaches thought he would be able to motivate the new children who could be afraid to come to the first year team, because milestone was a good leader.
“You know what it is to play in these games on Thursday,” she said. “Use it to your advantage!”
After 15 minutes, Star felt that milestone had received the message and she was ready to withdraw from this parking lot.
“At that time, all this negativity and this doubt had disappeared,” she said. “As we got home, he put his plan in action, reflecting on what he can do.”
At the end of this season, Daniels not only went to JV, but was part of a handful of second -year students who joined the Narbonne High university team when he played for the state of state. He even entered the game for a snapshot.
Star said to him, “Do you see what patience and perseverance can offer you?”
Milestone Daniels and his mother, star. Daniels family photo
Comparison is the thief of joy
In the second year, Daniels was the third quarter behind two talented athletes: Jaylen Henderson, who is now in Virginia-Western, and Kyle Williams, who now plays for the New England Patriots.
It was not only the support of his parents who helped him drive him. Daniels’ teammates also saw how much he had played when he had the chance to start the junior university team. Continue to do what you doThey encouraged. You’re going to go wellThey kept telling him.
“I say to myself:” Very good, bet! ” Continue to play, ”said Daniels. “I made a lot of protruding facts with some guys … Then Jake Garcia was transferred.”
Garcia, now in Michigan after having gone from Miami (Florida) to Missouri to East Carolina, was another five -star QB southern California at the time. Daniels decided to bet on himself and was transferred to Lawndale for his junior year.
“If you are good enough to play at this next level, someone will find you and you can put your talents at this next level,” said Daniel. “So it was no longer a question of trying to compare me to Bryce, DJ or CJ because in the end, the comparison is a thief of joy.”
The Internet is also a thief of joy, as Daniel reminded him before his junior season.
“I type Daniels in Google,” recalls Daniels, “and Jayden Daniels (another QB first -rate south of California who was a year in advance) came, and I thought:” Well, I will be able to fill this page one day. “”
“You never lose. You win either or you learn ‘
Daniels received only a few offers from programs from the Major community and signed up in the middle of Tennessee the week before his senior season. It was not until the end of this season that he finally received this elusive offer from Power 4. Daniels again died on himself and turned to Kansas Jayhawks.
Daniels started six games as a 17 -year -old recruit in 2020 under the Miles coach. The following intersane, Miles was dismissed and replaced by Lance Leipold, which resumed a terrible program that had not won more than three games in a season in a dozen years.
The Jayhawks started 1-8 in 2021, but Daniels led them to a superb upheaval of 57-56 in Texas, slamming the 56-game losses of the program. He launched four affected and no choice.
In 2022, Daniels sparked Kansas in his first Bowl match in 14 years and was an academic All-American of the second team. The 2023 season, however, brought more mental challenges. He only played three games due to a back injury. In 2024, Daniels was in good health, but he and the offense had trouble. Daniels launched 14 affected and 12 interceptions. The team lost five of its six games decided by six points or less.
This led to honest conversations with Leipold.
“He was right,” said Daniels. “At the beginning, I was pressing. I was trying to catch up with lost time. I was trying to do as much as possible to be able to bring the guys around me in the NFL instead of focusing on the victory of the game now.”
Leipold said Daniels was the same person he was four years ago when Leipold arrived in Lawrence for the first time.
“He is such a positive teammate as you could ask for it,” said Leipold. “He is only a hell of a child. He is humble. He works hard. He does not apologize. He walks with the same smile on his face. And he has never had an excuse or deflected anything that was not done.”
Once again, Daniels attributes to his mother this mentality.
“Most of life is a mental game,” he said. “When you lose, it hurts you mentally more than anything else, but something that my mother said to me is,” Son, you never lose. You win or learn. “”
When I asked what advice he would give his young me or any other child, Daniels started to answer before finishing the question.
“I tell my 13 year old self to stay the course,” he said. “Stay patient. Everything will happen as it is supposed to do. Make sure you believe in God because there will be tests.
“There will be tests and tribulations that try to make you fall your pivot and try to make you feel less confident than you are already. Stay confident because you are in this situation for a reason.”
(Illustration: Dan GOLDFARB / Athletics; James Black / Icon Sportswire / Getty Images)
