Jalon Daniels injury update: Lance Leipold reveals current status of Kansas QB

Kansas QB Jalon Daniels has had a lot of injuries to update over his collegiate career. The latest one, though, suggests he’s back and better than ever in Lawrence.

While at the Otto Schnellbacher Classic on Monday, Lance Leipold spoke on Daniels’ status coming off of a minor procedure on his knee earlier in the year. He said everything with his rehab is on track with him having continued to progress from the spring now into the summer.

“Yeah, you know, he’s right on schedule,” said Leipold. “He’s doing everything.”

Actually, not only that, Leipold retold a recent story shared with him by their athletic trainer. He told the head coach that, while watching their returning quarterback throw to WR Emmanuel Henderson, an incoming transfer from Alabama, Daniels was “throwing the ball as well as he’s seen him…of all the years (he’s) worked with Jalon”.

“Trent Carter, our trainer who does an outstanding job, told me about three weeks ago that he saw Jalon throwing the ball as well as he’s seen him. He was throwing with Emmanuel Henderson. He said I don’t know how far he threw it, like 70 to 75 yards in the air. He goes, of all the years I’ve worked with Jalon, he goes I don’t know if I’ve seen Jalon throw the ball that far,” Leipold recalled. “I was asking Jalon, who’s laughing, and he goes, yeah, I didn’t realize really how fast Emmanuel Henderson is so I’ve got to let go of it a little bit sooner, I had to catch up.”

Daniels played a career-best number of games with a dozen appearances last fall after playing in a dozen combined the two years prior with shoulder and back injuries. That season with several best and worsts statistically as he posted 2,901 total yards and 20 scores, 2,454 yards and 14 TDs passing with 447 yards and six scores rushing, but also had just 57.1% completion with 15 turnovers, with 12 interceptions and three fumbles lost.

Health has often been the question when it comes to Daniels. However, going into his sixth and final season overall as a redshirt senior for the Jayhawks, his most recent issue is being resolved with just over two and a half months until kickoff for KU.

“He’s on schedule,” said Leipold. “He’ll be doing everything as the guys got going here today.”