UCLA transfer offensive lineman Tavake Tuikolovatu signs with Kansas Jayhawks

UCLA transfer offensive lineman Tavake Tuikolovatu signed with the Kansas Jayhawks on Christmas Eve, according to On3’s Pete Nakos. The Bruins finished their 2024 campaign 5-7 overall. And the Kansas Jayhawks finished with a 5-7 overall record, too. Tuikolovatu played in 12 games this year and made only one start against the Minnesota Golden Gophers (Oct. 12th). In 2023, he played in only one game for the Bruins (North Carolina Central–Sept. 16th).

The good news for Tuikolovatu is that Kansas star quarterback Jalon Daniels returns for one more season in Lawrence. He’s one of the most dynamic players in the Big 12 and one of the most explosive quarterbacks in KU football history.

Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels returns for one more year

Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels has agreed to a new deal to stay with the Jayhawks in 2025, according to Pete Thamel of ESPN. It will be his final college season. During his five years in Lawrence with the Jayhawks, Daniels has thrown for 6,751 total passing yards and 45 touchdowns.

He currently ranks second in all-time passing yardage in Jayhawk football history, behind Todd Reesing. Daniels also owns the record for the most passing yards for a single game in KU program history (Arkansas–Liberty Bowl–2022 (544 passing yards). His 45 passing touchdowns for his career also rank second in program history behind Reesing (90 total touchdowns).

One of his best games came in a 45-36 win over the Iowa State Cyclones. Daniels racked up over 350 all-purpose yards and three total touchdowns in that win. He also played well enough for KU to stun the No. 6 ranked BYU Cougars, 17-13. Those two wins plus the Kansas victory over 16th ranked Colorado, gave the Jayhawks three wins over Top 25 opponents. While the Jayhawks finished 5-7 overall and won’t be going to a bowl game, they certainly played spoiler multiple times in the second half of the year.

In 2023, his season was shortened due to injuries. Daniels completed 74.7% of his passes for 705 passing yards, while tossing in five touchdowns with an interception.

In 2022, he completed 66.1 percent of his passes for 2,014 yards, while tossing in 18 touchdowns and four interceptions. As a runner, he had 77 rushing attempts for 419 yards and seven touchdowns.

During the 2022 season, he carried the program to a historic 5-0 start. Kansas finished with a 6-7 overall record, falling to Arkansas in the Liberty Bowl 55-53, in one of the most highly entertaining games of the 2022-2023 bowl season.