Herm Edwards Reiterates Confidence in Jayden Daniels
Arizona State Sun Devils quarterback Jayden Daniels initially landed in Tempe as one of the most highly-touted recruits to come through the program in some time
Daniels, the first ever true freshman to start for the Sun Devils at quarterback, lit the Pac-12 conference on fire and ignited what many Arizona State fans considered a special campaign.
After his sophomore season was cut short to only four games, 2021 was labeled as the year Daniels would officially make his jump into superstardom. ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. had Daniels on his top-five quarterback prospect list prior to the start of the season, and Daniels filled the preseason with award watch-list nominations.
However, the season was nothing to write home about for Daniels. Although we saw his evolution as a runner progress to dangerous levels, Daniels' evaluation as a quarterback who was safe with the football quickly evaporated thanks to poor decision-making on a somewhat weekly basis.
Arizona State ultimately fell short of its goals in winning the Pac-12 South, falling apart in the second half of the schedule.
Daniels, who held draft eligibility following this season as a redshirt sophomore, had several rumors leading to his departure, whether it be to the NFL or another program to improve his draft stock.
The Sun Devils were also one of many teams to be reportedly linked to adding another quarterback in the transfer portal such as former Oklahoma passer Spencer Rattler.
However, Daniels officially put any doubt to rest with a video released on social media.
In a press conference prior to team preparations for the upcoming Las Vegas Bowl, Sun Devils head coach Herm Edwards said Daniels never was really leaving.
“It’s kind of funny that he’s going to return — he was never leaving,” Edwards said. “So I don’t know why all of this became a story. We sat in our office and laughed.
“We wanted him to come back, and that helps when you have a quarterback of his stature. And I think when he looks at his season this year, obviously, he wants to do some things a little bit better and we have to help him do that.
"I like his attitude. I like his mindset right now. It’s always good when you have a veteran quarterback coming back. That’s always a good feeling for the coach.”
While many on the outside wanted Daniels gone, it's clear from Edwards' public vote of confidence in Daniels that the university never planned on him leaving early.
Now, the onus falls on everybody involved to show 2021 was merely a bump in the road for Daniels and Arizona State.