It’s no secret that this year hasn’t gone the way that many envisioned for Kansas football quarterback Jalon Daniels. The Big 12’s Preseason Offensive Player of the Year has missed all but three games this year due to an undisclosed, lingering back injury.
His absence – and the lack of clarity about his injury – have caused some to wonder if he is sitting out to perhaps preserve another year of eligibility (and his health) and transfer this offseason.
Those rumors really started to pick up (oddly enough) after Kansas State insider Derek Young of on3.com started sharing on K-State message boards that he heard that Daniels was sitting out, not due to injury, but because he wanted to maintain his redshirt and intends to transfer.
As expected, that started to make the rounds on KU message boards and on social media, prompting finger pointing and all sorts of back and forth between KU and KSU fans online.
Daniels decided to put that speculation to rest with a quick video late Thursday afternoon.
— 𝕁𝔻𝟞💫 (@JalonDaniels6) November 16, 2023
In the video, Daniels said he has “unfinished business” and that he’s “not done yet” at Kansas. He finished it by saying “I’m not going anywhere. Rock Chalk.”
It’s unfortunate that Daniels had to share the video in the first place and defend an untrue narrative that he’s not been sitting out of games due to injury – especially coming from a reporter from an opposing fanbase who doesn’t cover KU or their players.
Regardless, the rumor can now be put to rest and KU fans can rejoice in knowing their quarterback position is in good hands next year under Daniels. And perhaps this gives the Jayhawks a little extra motivation to come out that much hungrier against K-State on Saturday.
The Sunflower Showdown kicks off at 6 p.m. CT inside David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium.