College Football: 7 quarterbacks with something to prove in 2022
By Eric Finney
JT Daniels
Daniels was a 5-star recruit coming out of the prestigious Mater Dei HS in Southern California. He signed to the University of Southern California and immediately earned the starting job at the conclusion of fall camp in 2018.
He went on to have a successful true freshman season individually, but the Trojans ended the season with a losing record. The 2019 season introduced a new offensive coordinator, Graham Harrell, which sparked optimism that the program would feature a dynamic offense that would be centered around Daniels’ talent. Daniels would suffer a knee injury during the season opener and be sidelined for the remainder of the season.
He entered the transfer portal in the spring of 2020 and chose the University of Georgia as the next stop. Participating in the program during the 2020 and 2021 seasons, he went 7-0 as a starter and showcased the ability he displayed out of high school and his true freshman season at USC. He experienced success at UGA, but injuries plagued his availability on the field. After the conclusion of the 2021 season at UGA, he entered the transfer portal choosing West Virginia as his next destination.
In Morgantown, Daniels is reunited with former USC offensive coordinator Graham Harrell which factored into his decision to join the Mountaineers. All signs indicate that he will be the starting quarterback this fall with the hope of staying healthy for an entire season. The familiarity with Graham Harrell’s offensive philosophy should provide for a seamless transition to help the West Virginia offense light up the scoreboard.
Throughout his career, Daniels has demonstrated the fundamentals and decision-making to be effective as a starting quarterback; he understands route concepts, has good pocket presence, and throws the ball with proficient timing.
There are no doubts about his talent, but rather if he can physically withstand the rigors of a full college football season and if he can drive winning over a long period. Daniels will take the experience he garnered from USC and UGA with the hopes of showing the country he still harnesses the talent that made him a 5-star recruit.