JT Daniels’ long and winding road in college football offers a few reminders

J.T. Daniels tried a lot of different schools but could never maximize his potential. However, he could be a great coach as a result.

The liberalized transfer process in college football is a good thing in the sense that it provides for more player movement and more chances for an athlete to find a good fit over the course of a collegiate career. Players can visit more schools and play for more coaches, being exposed to more ways of playing, training, and studying. Yet, more choices doesn’t always mean better results. J.T. Daniels, formerly of USC, illustrates that point.

We tracked Daniels’ career in college:

“Daniels was the Trojans’ season-opening quarterback as a true freshman in 2018 and started 11 games. He tore an ACL and a meniscus in the 2019 opener, losing his job to Kedon Slovis (who now plays for BYU). Injuries would sideline him again until late in the 2020 season when he was with Georgia. He started four games for the 2021 national champion Bulldogs before losing his job to Stetson Bennett.

“Daniels then transferred to West Virginia, where he had the most playing time (10 starts) since his freshman year at USC. Daniels struggled during his lone season at West Virginia. While Daniels tried to build a rapport with former USC offensive coordinator Graham Harrell, the two never seemed to be on the same page in Morgantown.”

Daniels’ lack of elite success as a player, however, doesn’t mean he won’t succeed as a coach. His exposure to a lot of different systems as an athlete could give him a great foundation for a coaching career.

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