Editor's Note: This story is part of the peak. sportsThe table covering leadership, personal development and success through a sports perspective. Here along the peak.
Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels arrived in Texas in July with a unique distinction: this is his fourth time representing his school at Big 12 Media Day. It's not the two Heismans of Archie Griffin, but the era of Kansas's star and transfer portal, where no one will replicate his feat.
Daniels smiled and said, “I tried to tell Commish (Brett Yormark), 'You might as well keep putting a banner: JD for four years in a row, baby!'” Daniels smiled.
This is from a player who has experienced almost every player in the quarterback.
Two years ago, Daniels showed his 2022 highlights in the loop, wearing a silver suit, a red tie around his neck and an apple watch pendant. Just like the look of jewelry, the most impressive thing is his words, as eye-catching as the look of jewelry. Then he told a story, which was not just how he arrived now. He also offers one of the best courses for parenting I've ever heard.
I am a sports writer, twice as good as I am a parent. I have coached my son in football for the past five years. Youth sports can be great. It can also be incredible, frustrating and confusing, especially if your kids like it better than you.
It is human nature for children to compare themselves to others of age. Their parents often feel intimate about it (I feel intimate about it). Each exercise feels like a decisive moment (and guilty of it). Just not.
But the more I know about Daniels, the more insightful and applicable his story will be for me – hopefully, it will be suitable for other parents and young athletes, too.
Daniels’ career proves that playing long games is becoming increasingly difficult in this era of instant gratification and online rankings. Here are four favorite lessons I've learned from his story.
Rely on your support system as soon as possible
Daniels is one of the most stacked quarterback recruiting classes in recent memory.
He graduated from Lawndale High, Southern California in 2020, where Bryce Young and DJ Uiagalelei, the country's top recruits, also graduated. The five-star QB CJ Stroud is from the region. Daniels trailed 22 other quarterbacks in California alone, and had no recruitment profiles, let alone any stars until his senior season began.
How did the young Jia Long stay rooted without being discouraged?
“I honestly did have that view back then,” he said. “My first year made me really humbled. Going into the big year, I really thought I was the best. It humbled me so humbled because then I saw DJ, Balling (as a) freshman. I was almost a freshman.
Daniels considers his mom star because he instills a driving force in him and is determined to stay on the road.
“I can’t even imagine parents seeing your kids do as much as they can and try to get to where they are going as much as possible without things happening,” he said. “I just had to provide props to my mom and stepfather to keep me rooted.
Find positive in your case
Jalon and Star's lows were in his sophomore year of high school. His coach told him that based on the progress of this practice, he would either be promoted to junior college or stayed in freshman for another year.
A few hours later, Daniels returned to his mom's car and slipped into his seat.
He told his mom: “He asked me to be a freshman again (football).
Xingxing's heart was hurt for her son. “You can say he wants to cry,” she said.
She won't drive home for 20 minutes until his point of view changes.
“When Jalon's head was surrounded by something, we stopped and we were dealing with it at that time and there,” she said. “When he had those moments, I needed Jalon to see my face. I needed him to see where I was because if I had a passion for that was what you wanted, I needed you not to lose that passion.”
She made sure he knew about it when he saw it. He is still very young and has not yet moved to grow up. The children in the joint venture are very big. Maybe the coach thinks his body is unwilling to rise up. Also, she told him that maybe the coach thought he would be able to inspire new kids because Jeron is a great leader and may be afraid to join the freshman team.
“You know what to play in these Thursday games,” she said. “Use it to your advantage!”
15 minutes later, Star Heef Heet Jalon received the message that she was about to exit the parking lot.
“At that time, all the negativity and suspicion disappeared,” she said. “By the time we got home, he was taking action and thinking about what he could do.”
At the end of that season, Daniels not only advanced to a joint venture, but was one of a handful of sophomores who competed in the state championship at Narbonne High. He even entered the game.
The star told him: “What do patience and perseverance do you see bring you?”
Jalon Daniels and his mom, star. Photo courtesy of the Daniels Family
A happy thief
As a sophomore, Daniels is the third string quarterback behind two talented athletes: Jaylen Henderson, now at West Virginia, and Kyle Williams, now at New England Patriots.
Not only helps drive his parents’ support. Daniels’ teammates also saw how he had the chance to be on the junior ranks. Just keep doing your own workthey encourage. You'll be finethey kept telling him.
“I thought, 'Okay, bet! Keep playing.'” Daniels said. “I did a lot of highlights with some people…and then Jake Garcia moved.”
Garcia, who came from Miami (Florida) to Missouri to East Carolina, is now Michigan, and then a five-star QB in Southern California. Daniels decided to bet on himself and moved to Lawndale as a junior.
“If you play at the next level enough, someone will find you and you will be able to put your talents on the next level,” Daniel said. “So, it's not just about trying to compare yourself to Bryce, DJ or CJ anymore, because at the end of the day, the comparison is a joyful thief.”
The Internet is also a joyful thief, as Daniel was reminded before his junior season.
Daniels recalled: “I typed Jalon Daniels into Google and Jayden Daniels (another blue chip QB from Southern California, the next year) showed up and I thought, ‘Okay,’ Well, I’ll be able to fill this page one day.’’”
'You will never lose. You either win or learn”
Daniels received only a few offers from the Marjor program the week before the senior season and was committed to Central Tennessee. It wasn't until the end of that season that he finally received an elusive Power 4 offer. Daniels bet on himself again and then moved to Jay Hawks, Kansas.
Daniels started six games with the 17-year-old freshman in 2020 under coach Les Miles. The subsequent offseason, Miles was fired and replaced by Lance Leipold, who took over a horrible show that hadn't exceeded three games in a season of more than a decade.
Jayhawks started with a 1-8 record in 2021, but Daniels later led them to beat Texas’s 57-56 frustration and snatched the program’s 56-game road streak. He threw four touchdowns and had no draft picks.
In 2022, Daniels sparked Kansas’ first bowl game in 14 years and was the All-American second team. However, the 2023 season brings more spiritual challenges. He only played three games due to a back injury. In 2024, Daniels is healthy, but he struggles with the offense. Daniels threw 14 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. The team lost five of five in six games.
This led to some honest conversations with Leppard.
“He’s right,” Daniels said. “Earlier, I was in a hurry. I was trying to make up for the lost time. I was trying to get the guys around me into the NFL, rather than winning the game now.”
Lepod said Daniels was the same person who first arrived in Lawrence four years ago.
“His teammates are as positive as you ask,” said Leipold. “He's just a kid's hell. He's humble. He's hardworking. He doesn't make excuses. He walks around with the same smile on his face. He never makes excuses or leans towards anything that hasn't walked.”
Again, Daniels thinks his mom has this mentality.
“Most of life is a mental game,” he said. “It's sadder than anything else when you lose, but one thing my mom told me is, 'Son, you never lose. You either win or learn.” Transparent
When I asked him about advice to his young self or any other child, Daniels started answering before I finished the question.
“I told my 13-year-old self to keep going,” he said. “Be patient. Everything will happen the way it should be. Make sure you believe in God because the test is going to be done.
“There will be a try to get you out of the ordeals of the pivot and try to make you less confident than you used to be. Stay confident because there is a reason you are in this situation.”
(Illustration: Dan Goldfarb / sports;James Black/Idol Sportswire/Getty Images)