Jayden Daniels addresses his Heisman chances entering season

LSU QB Jayden Daniels makes the case as one of the best-returning quarterbacks in the SEC, if not the best, and one of the best in the nation. That alone will have him in the mix for the Heisman Trophy right away come kickoff this season.

Even so, Daniels made it clear that that isn’t something that interests him. While speaking at SEC Media Days on Monday, Daniels said it’d be an honor to be part of the conversation but that he’s focused on winning which, in turn, will bring those sorts of accolades his way, regardless of if he’s actively looking for them or not.

“I mean I don’t really look at stuff like that,” Daniels said. “I’d be blessed, honored to be part of receiving an award like that. Hopefully, when I win football games, my odds go well.”

“But my main thing is helping the team win football games. And then the individual success comes with it,” said Daniels.

Daniels popped in his first season in Baton Rouge after transferring in and winning the starting job. He posted career-high marks in passing efficiency with completions (266) and completion percentage (68.6%). He also tied his career-best for touchdowns with 17 while also throwing for 2,913 yards.

What takes his case to the next level, though, is his dual-threat ability. Daniels rushed for career highs across the board last season too with 186 carries, 885 rushing yards, and 11 touchdowns.

Daniels took off over the course of the season once LSU found its footing as a team. He was a major part of them making it to the SEC Championship and having a shot at the College Football Playoff.

Having already experienced how that formula can work a season ago, that’s why Daniels is focused solely on winning with the Tigers and, from there, will be more than fine letting the individual success follow afterward.

Daniels shares how win over Alabama helped LSU’s confidence

Jayden Daniels goes into his final college football season at LSU but the Tigers have some confidence after beating Alabama and getting to the SEC Championship Game last season.

Speaking at SEC Media Days, Daniels knew what it did for him and the team’s morale late in the year. While LSU fell short of a conference title and the playoff, it set the stage for 2023.

Daniels sat and discussed it with On3’s JD PicKell.

“It did a lot,” Daniels told On3. “Obviously, it’s a big time game. Knowing what Coach Saban does over there and the standard that he has over there at Alabama and what he done in his tenure there. Obviously a quarterback they had with Bryce Young last year. Obviously a great, great player, No. 1 (draft pick) for a reason.” 

Daniels and LSU beating Alabama was the reason why the Tigers got to the SEC Championship Game.

“It did a lot (for us) to go out there and be able to beat Alabama where people considered them to have a down year even though they were still very highly competitive,” Daniels said. “(They were) one spot away from the playoffs which is pretty crazy. But what they do over there is phenomenal. So to be able to go out there beat them not for just us but for the state of Louisiana and beat them at home for the first time in a while, it meant a lot.”