Tag: Jalon Daniels

Kansas QB Jalon Daniels has an incredible diamond necklace that plays his highlights

This is just too cool.

Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels absolutely shined for the Jayhawks during the 2022 college football season.

As he helped lead Kansas to a hot 5-0 start before being sidelined for several games with a shoulder injury, he racked up some incredible highlights and found himself in the early Heisman Trophy conversation.

But it’s a new year, and nothing says you’re ready for the new college football season like a giant diamond necklace showcasing your own highlights.

Daniels is clearly ready to go for his fourth season with the Jayhawks. Per Kansas football’s Twitter account, he showed up Wednesday to Big 12 media day wearing a flashy and fun diamond necklace that plays his highlights.

This is just too cool.

Every Heisman Trophy winner in college football since 1935

2023 Season Preview: Can the Jayhawks send Oklahoma to the SEC with a loss?

When the Oklahoma Sooners travel to Lawrence to face the Jayhawks for the final time, the defense will face a huge test vs. Kansas and quarterback Jalon Daniels.

After what we believe will be a hard-fought game versus the UCF Knights, the Sooners will travel to Lawrence to take on the Kansas Jayhawks in one of the most intriguing matchups on the schedule.

Kansas has a lot of production coming back from a 2022 team that took another step, second in the nation per ESPN (ESPN+). They return 91% of their offensive production from a year ago returning and 80% of their defensive production.

The Jayhawks went 6-7 on the season and made a bowl game for the first time since 2008. They started the year 5-0 before star quarterback Jalon Daniels went down with an injury. He returned, but it was a setback that upended the momentum they had early in the year.

Daniels was recently voted the preseason offensive player of the year for the Big 12 while earning first-team quarterback selection.

In Kansas’ fast start to the 2022 season, Daniels was beginning to garner some Heisman hype before being slowed by injury and losses. Still it was a strong season for the upstart Jayhawks in Lance Leipold’s second season at the helm.

Jalon Daniels completed 66.1 percent of his passes for 2,014 yards, 18 touchdowns, and only four interceptions. He also ran for 425 yards and seven scores.

So, the Sooners will face their worst nightmare two weeks in a row; a dual-threat quarterback.

The Jayhawks bring back 1,000-yard rusher Devin Neal. They also bring back their top two receivers, Lawrence Arnold and Luke Grimm. The Jayhawks spread the wealth in 2022 with four players gaining at least 400 yards receiving and five players with at least four touchdown receptions.

They were a top 35 offense a year ago, even with Jalon Daniels missing time. This offense should be very good again.

Defensively they finished 127th in the nation. But with returning 80 percent of their defense, they hope to see much improvement.

Lance Leipold is one of the best coaches in the conference. He has Kansas on a steady trajectory since taking over late in the spring of 2021.

Similar to Oklahoma, can they improve enough to be a top-80 defense? I’m not sure they can. Oklahoma has better athletes and one of the best defensive minds ever working for them.

They return eight of their 10 leading tacklers from a year ago, including safety Kenny Logan Jr. who led the team with 106 tackles a year ago. Logan is a legit playmaker in the secondary that can change a game in a hurry.

The big loss is Lonnie Phelps, who led the team with seven sacks last season. They also lost Caleb Simpson, who finished fourth in sacks.

All in all, this team will go as far as this defense can take them. If the defense is poor again, the Jayhawks will be staring at another six-win season. They also have to keep Daniels healthy. They were able to mitigate the loss with stellar play from Jason Bean, but it didn’t last, and the Jayhawks weren’t the same when Daniels came back from injury.

If Daniels plays last season, the Jayhawks have a chance to upset Oklahoma in Norman. The Sooners scored 21 unanswered points in the second quarter to go up 35-14 before a touchdown in the final seconds trimmed the score to 35-21 before halftime.

The Jayhawks rallied in the fourth quarter with a pair of touchdowns to make things interesting, ultimately falling short.

This isn’t the same old Jayhawks and this is a very dangerous game for Oklahoma. In back-to-back weeks we will find out how much improvement the defense has made.

Score Prediction: 55-41 Oklahoma

Predicted Record: 7-1

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Longhorns Big 12 team to beat, Sooners third in preseason media poll

The Oklahoma Sooners were picked to finish third in the Big 12 preseason media poll while their Red River Rivals look like the team to beat.

Next week, all 14 teams in the Big 12 will descend upon Arlington, Texas, for Big 12 Media Days at AT&T Stadium.

It marks a landmark season for the conference in what will be the last year featuring the Oklahoma Sooners and Texas Longhorns before they depart for the SEC next summer.

The Big 12 is as wide open as it has been recently. If one team leads the pack in the public eye, it is the Texas Longhorns.

Their combination of incoming talent and returning star power them as the favorite to win the conference early on.

Ahead of next week’s media days, here’s how those that cover the Big 12 voted in the preseason poll.

College Sports Wire has Dillon Gabriel ranked as the 12th-best QB in the country

Oklahoma’s leader and QB1, Dillon Gabriel, was listed as the No. 12 QB in the country by College Sports Wire.

Oklahoma’s true preparation for the 2023 season is approaching its final steps.

Team 129 will start summer workouts ahead of fall camp in the coming weeks, and guys will return from their breaks after spring practice. Oklahoma looks to hit the ground running in pursuit of one final Big 12 crown and one last berth in the College Football Playoff as a member of the Big 12 before it departs for the SEC next summer.

At the heart of that goal, quarterback Dillon Gabriel resides with the keys to Jeff Lebby’s offense. He plays a significant role in Oklahoma’s attempt to rebound from the program’s worst season in over 20 years.

Gabriel was the target of ire for some Sooners fans despite starting 12 of the team’s 13 games and ranking second in the Big 12 in passing yards per game (264), total offense (290.3 ypg), pass efficiency rating (154.4), yards per completion (13.8), yards per pass attempt (8.6) and passing touchdowns (25). He completed 62.7% of his passes for 3,168 yards and rushed for 317 yards and six touchdowns. He threw for at least 230 yards in nine of his 11 complete games and threw for at least one touchdown in 10 of those games.

He did leave a few plays on the field once or twice a game, and he has spoken about that this offseason. However, on a list of reasons OU went 6-7 last year, he should be in the bottom third.

College football feels more wide open this year than it has in the last few. Sure, Georgia has transformed itself into a red and black version of Godzilla, terrorizing the rest of college football. But, UGA no longer has proven signal-caller Stetson Bennett and has to reload a roster that lost multiple starters to the top 100 picks of the 2023 NFL draft. Alabama doesn’t have a QB that’s proven either with Bryce Young leaving Tuscaloosa to become the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft. As you sit back and survey the college football landscape, the field is wide open, but QB play could be the separation for many.

Our friends at College Sports Wire ranked the 25 best quarterbacks in college football and while the consensus remains that one-time Sooner Caleb Williams is the top guy, the rest could be debated.

Dillon Gabriel slots in at No. 12 nationally and No. 2 in the Big 12 behind Kansas’ Jalon Daniels.

Gabriel was a huge acquisition for the Sooners prior to the 2022 season. A move that almost didn’t happen after the former UCF passer originally committed to transfer to UCLA. But as has been the case for a good chunk of his collegiate career, he missed time due to injury. Of course, that injury occurred due to a late hit by TCU during their game. The Big 12’s leading passer is hoping for a repeat of last year if Oklahoma wants to avoid back-to-back losing seasons. — Conn, College Sports Wire

Gabriel is a significant part of Oklahoma’s equation heading into 2023. He has spent multiple seasons with Jeff Lebby as his offensive coordinator dating to their time at UCF.

It’s now or never for Gabriel. With five-star QB Jackson Arnold on campus, the margin for error this year could be slim. It’s hard to imagine a scenario where Gabriel remains the top QB in Norman if Oklahoma’s offense struggles. Gabriel has command of the offense, and his teammates respect and follow him.

However, Oklahoma is not a place where 6-7 will be tolerated in back-to-back seasons. Changes could be made at QB, if nothing else, to shake things up.

Ultimately, it’s hard to believe Gabriel will not play at least as well as he did last year. He could likely even exceed that if things fall perfectly. He lost three of his top four pass catchers to the NFL, so early on, adjusting and finding his complementary options to wide receivers Jalil Farooq and Drake Stoops could set the tone for his ability to consistently perform and whether or not Gabriel moves up this list by the end of the season.

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Dillon Gabriel No. 2 in College Sports Wire’s post-spring Big 12 quarterback rankings

Dillon Gabriel No. 2 in College Sports Wire’s post-spring Big 12 quarterback rankings.

After a spring game that provided some entertaining moments, the Oklahoma Sooners have some intriguing position battles at offensive line, defensive line, cornerback, and safety.

One place where the starter is locked in is at quarterback. Dillon Gabrel is QB1 for Oklahoma and enters his second year in the Big 12. Regional Editor Patrick Conn over at College Sports Wire believes Gabriel is the second-best signal-caller in the conference. Gabriel comes in at No. 2 behind Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels.

Gabriel was a huge acquisition for the Sooners prior to the 2022 season. A move that almost didn’t happen after the former UCF passer originally committed to transfer to UCLA. But as has been the case for a good chunk of his collegiate career, he missed time due to injury. Of course, that injury occurred due to a late hit by TCU during their game. The Big 12’s leading passer is hoping for a repeat of last year if Oklahoma wants to avoid back-to-back losing seasons. – Conn, College Sports Wire

Oklahoma enters year two under Venables looking to improve in every facet. Last year’s team was the worst in 20+ years. Bringing back their quarterback will help the Sooners rebound from their 6-7 season.

Improving his pocket presence was a point of emphasis for Gabriel this offseason. Making more routine throws consistently would also help the Sooners’ offense reach another level of production.

If Gabriel can do those two things and the Sooners find consistent playmakers to replace Marvin Mims, Brayden Willis, and Eric Gray, Oklahoma will score a plethora of points in its final season in the Big 12.

Gabriel won Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year by the league’s coaches and earned All-Big 12 honorable mention recognition. He was also named AP Big 12 Newcomer of the Year and garnered second-team all-league acclaim from the Associated Press and Pro Football Focus.

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Post spring Big 12 quarterback rankings for 2023

Where each of the 14 QBs rank for the Big 12 following spring ball.

We’re moving onto the Big 12 in our post-spring rankings series. There are plenty of gunslingers to highlight as we march toward the 2023 college football season.

Dillion Gabriel of Oklahoma and Quinn Ewers of Texas look to lead their team to the Big 12 Championship game before the Sooners and Longhorns head to the SEC. Both have five-star backups ready to get an opportunity if either has injury concerns in 2023. Texas has the Manning family scion, Arch. While the Sooners took top Texas quarterback Jackson Arnold.

Oklahoma and Texas will command plenty of the headlines while the remaining 12 teams look to send them out of the conference on a sour note. Kansas State returns Will Howard, who led them to the conference title a year ago. TCU will start Chandler Morris again, hoping he can stay healthy this time.

Check out our initial power rankings for the Big 12 quarterbacks with spring football all wrapped up.

Oklahoma Sooners’ offense explodes in 52-42 win over Kansas Jayhawks

Dillon Gabriel threw for 403 yards, and Eric Gray rushed for 176 yards to lead the Oklahoma Sooners in their 52-42 win over Kansas.

Oklahoma snapped a three-game losing streak on Saturday with a 52-42 win over the No. 20 Kansas Jayhawks on homecoming weekend.

The big storyline leading up to the week was the availability of both starting quarterbacks for each team. Jayhawks starter Jalon Daniels sat out due to a shoulder injury and was replaced by Jason Bean. At the same time, Oklahoma was hopeful for the return of QB1 Dillon Gabriel, who had missed last week’s Red River Rivalry game against Texas because of a concussion suffered in the blowout loss to TCU.

With Gabriel back, Oklahoma looked like the offensive juggernaut most are accustomed to seeing from Oklahoma teams. They put up over 700 yards of offense and scored 50 points for the first time this season.

The Sooners took the ball first and promptly drove down the field for a one-yard Jovantae Barnes touchdown run. Kansas answered with a 39-yard touchdown pass from Jason Bean to Lawrence Arnold. The two teams traded touchdowns again to end the first quarter tied at 14 apiece.

Oklahoma would settle in defensively allowing just 7 Kansas points in the second quarter, while the offense kept on humming for 21 points in the 2nd quarter.

An uber-athletic interception from Wyoming transfer C.J. Coldon gave the corner his second in as many weeks. The offense worked in harmony and consistently had the Jayhawks off balance all day. Running back Eric Gray finished with 176 yards on 20 carries for two touchdowns. His backup, true freshman Jovantae Barnes, ran 21 times for 69 yards with two rushing touchdowns himself.

Marvin Mims had a career-high nine catches for 106 yards, and senior tight end Brayden Willis added five catches for a career-high 102 yards for the Sooners. Oklahoma was finally able to showcase their offensive talent with a functional and capable thrower at QB.

Gabriel was 29 of 42 for 403 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed for a score. The Sooners quarterback threw his first interception of the season and lost two fumbles.

Oklahoma kept the foot on the gas thru the 3rd quarter, putting up another two touchdowns and kept the pressure on the Jayhawks.

The Jayhawks’ inability to get stops doomed Kansas as they weren’t able to keep up with Dillon Gabriel and the Oklahoma Sooners’ offense.

The defense played well during a stretch at the end of the first quarter to midway through the second quarter, but Kansas came out guns blazing in the second half trying to catch up. They outscored the Sooners 21-17 after halftime, but the haltime deficit was too much to overcome.

The defense forced seven tackles for loss, a couple of turnovers, and recorded one sack on the day. They have work to do, but it was a better performance than what we’ve seen from them in recent weeks.

Oklahoma’s win marks their 18th straight against Kansas. It’s a confidence-building win heading into their bye week before taking on Iowa State in Ames, Iowa, on October 29th.

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Oklahoma Sooners vs. Kansas Jayhawks: Stream, injury report, broadcast info for week 7

Trying to figure out where to find the Sooners game on Saturday? Here’s how to watch, stream or listen to Oklahoma vs. Kansas.

Oklahoma will face Kansas on Saturday, and if you’re wondering how you can watch the action live, you’ve come to the right place.

The Oklahoma Sooners need a win in the biggest of ways. Playing for pride, the Sooners have a lot to prove over the rest of the 2022 season. Progress and competitiveness are the name of the game moving forward and that starts with their matchup against the Kansas Jayhawks.

The Oklahoma Sooners enter Saturday as 9-point favorites over the 5-1 Jayhawks despite losing three straight and getting outscored by a wide margin.

Dillon Gabriel’s return is huge for this team, but will it be enough for the Oklahoma Sooners to end their losing streak and begin turning things around for the 2022 season? We’ll find out soon enough.

Here’s when you should tune in to see the game:

  • Date: Oct 15, 2022
  • Time: 11 a.m. CT
  • TV Channel: ABC
  • Live Stream: fuboTV (watch here)
  • Listen: Sreaming on the Varsity App

Oklahoma vs. Texas injury report:

Oklahoma

[autotag]T.D. Roof[/autotag], LB: Out for season (Elbow)

[autotag]Shane Whitter[/autotag], LB: Out for season (Shoulder)

[autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag], QB: Probable (concussion)

[autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag], S: Doubtful (Undisclosed)

Kansas

[autotag]Jalon Daniels[/autotag], QB: Questionable (Shoulder)

[autotag]Jayson Gilliom[/autotag], S: Questionable (Undisclosed)

[autotag]Daniel Hinshaw[/autotag], Jr., RB: Out indefinitely (Undisclosed)

Players to watch:

Oklahoma

Dillon Gabriel, QB: 63.9% for 1,215 yards, 11 touchdowns and 0 interceptions. 25 carries, 126 yards and 2 touchdowns.

[autotag]Marvin Mims[/autotag] WR: 23 receptions for 436 yards and 3 touchdowns.

[autotag]Eric Gray[/autotag], RB: 77 carries for 519 yards, 3 touchdowns at 6.7 yards per carry.

[autotag]Jovantae Barnes[/autotag], RB: 51 carries, 247 yards, 2 touchdowns 4.8 yards per carry.

[autotag]Marcus Major[/autotag], RB: 33 carries, 164 yards, 4 touchdowns, 5 yards per carry.

[autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag], LB: 55 total tackles, 6 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks.

[autotag]David Ugwoegbu[/autotag], LB: 54 total tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks.

[autotag]Reggie Grimes[/autotag], DE: 13 total tackles, 6 tackles for loss, 4 sacks, 1 forced fumble.

Kansas

[autotag]Jason Bean[/autotag], QB: 69.2% for 286 yards, 4 touchdowns, and 1 interception. 12 carries, 53 yards and 1 touchdown.

[autotag]Devin Neal[/autotag], RB: 64 carries for 421 yards, 4 touchdowns at 6.6 yards per carry.

[autotag]Luke Grimm[/autotag], WR: 25 receptions for 281 yards and 3 touchdowns.

[autotag]Lawrence Arnold[/autotag], WR: 17 receptions for 235 yards and 1 touchdown.

[autotag]Rich Miller[/autotag], LB: 47 total tackles, two tackles for loss.

[autotag]Kenny Logan, Jr[/autotag]., S: 39 total tackles, 1 interception, 2 passes defended, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery.

[autotag]Lonnie Phelps[/autotag], DL: 28 total tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, 6 sacks.

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Oklahoma Sooners vs. No. 20 Kansas Jayhawks: Sooners Wire Staff Predictions and more

Staff predictions and more for the Oklahoma Sooners matchup with the Kansas Jayhawks.

The Oklahoma Sooners need a win in the biggest way when the Kansas Jayhawks come to town on Saturday. Losers of three straight, the Sooners haven’t looked good on either side of the ball.

The defense is struggling to find its identity, and the offense has been inconsistent. Dillon Gabriel is expected back, and that should help the offense find a much better rhythm and balance than it did a week ago against the Texas Longhorns, where the passing game was nonexistent.

But even with Gabriel back, this game feels like a tough matchup with a Jayhawks offense that’s been rolling set to square off against a reeling Sooners defense.

For the second-straight week, quarterback availability is the big storyline. Jayhawks starting QB Jalon Daniels won’t be available for this game. Instead, Jason Bean will start in his place. Bean played well in the matchup with the Sooners a year ago and looked really good in the second half of Kansas’ loss to the TCU Horned Frogs a week ago.

Get set for Saturday’s game with our Sooners Wire staff predictions plus a look at how analysts across the country expect this game to go.

5 defensive players to watch for Oklahoma as they take on No. 20 Kansas

Oklahoma takes on No. 20 Kansas on Saturday and we are looking at 5 defenders to watch.

Oklahoma is desperate for a win to regain any semblance of confidence that they’ve lost over the three-game losing streak.

A tough loss to Kansas State turned into a lopsided shellacking at the hands of TCU in Fort Worth, which ultimately culminated in last week’s 49-0 drubbing thanks to the Texas Longhorns.

In every one of those losses, the Sooners gave up 40 or more points.

On Saturday, the No. 20 Kansas Jayhawks team will stroll into the Palace on the Prairie fresh off their first loss of the season to No. 13 TCU. Kansas comes in with a dynamic offensive team averaging just a touch under 40 points per game.

They are a balanced offensive club averaging 226.3 passing yards per game and 215.2 rushing yards per game. For the majority of the season, the Jayhawks have been led by junior quarterback Jalon Daniels but after suffering an injury against TCU, Daniels looks doubtful for the game on Saturday according to ESPN.

Regardless, Oklahoma will have their hands full Saturday with backup QB Jason Bean, whom they faced last year. Their defense couldn’t stop a nosebleed of late so Daniels or not, this game should pose a significant threat to Oklahoma.

How do they go home Saturday night in their new UNITY uniforms winners? They’ll need better performances from these five defenders.