The Gators’ Anthony Richardson is about to make his eighth profession begin. LSU’s Jayden Daniels is readying for his thirty sixth profession begin. Nothing too groundbreaking there. One is comparatively inexperienced, the opposite a examined veteran.
What provides a novel layer to the quarterback storyline is that Daniels, after beginning for 3 seasons at Arizona State, determined to switch to LSU and be a part of head coach Brian Kelly in his first season in Baton Rouge.
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Jayden Daniels’ move chart vs Tenn
7.5 ADOT
5.5 ANY/A
71.1% Accuracy
86.5% Adj Comp
65.9% Depth Adj Acc
51.1% Success
35.6% 1D+TD
8.9% Explosive
4.4% Interceptable
13.3% Uncatchable
13.3% Drop
13.3% Pressure
8.9% Screen+RPO
17.8% Play Action
55.3% Air Ydhttps://t.co/gxbqu1TmR7 pic.twitter.com/FmxMllYPxt
— Clark Brooks (@SEC_StatCat) October 9, 2022
Daniels’ departure created a gap at Arizona State, the place former Gators starter Emory Jones transferred after the spring semester. Jones’ exit cleared the best way for Richardson, clearly the frontrunner based mostly on his efficiency early in spring camp, to take over as Florida’s beginning quarterback.
You get all that? Coincidentally, in some methods, Richardson’s efficiency in final season’s 49-42 loss at LSU set this QB triangle in movement. With Jones erratic and LSU up 28-13 after Dwight McGlothern returned a Jones interception 37 yards for a landing, the Gators turned to Richardson.
The freshman responded by main the Gators to touchdowns on 4 consecutive drives. He threw for 3 scores and ran for one more within the shootout loss. Gators followers clamored for Richardson to take over completely.
A season later, first-year Gators head coach Billy Napier has a staff much like the one Kelly inherited at LSU. Both are 4-2 and pushing to make enhancements within the second half of the season.
Richardson is on the coronary heart of that dialogue in Gainesville. In Baton Rouge, Daniels is on the heart of the chatter.
Nola.com columnist Scott Rabalais, a veteran presence on the LSU beat, wrote this about Daniels on Wednesday:
Trying to evaluate LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels by six video games feels very very like a contradiction in phrases. He has exhibited shortcomings within the passing sport that appear to be no less than one of many causes (however not all) which can be holding LSU’s offense again. Yet his working capability, which is superior to any LSU quarterback I’ve seen my complete life, is what is commonly conserving an offense that has different important challenges afloat.
The 6-foot-3, 200-pound Daniels presents a problem for Florida’s protection the best way Richardson does for LSU’s.
“At receiver, they’ve got some dynamic players both inside and outside,” Napier said of the Tigers. “So, you pair that with the flexibility for the quarterback to interrupt the pocket and scramble, you consider statistically if you have a look at their staff, this quarterback has made a big influence on the sport together with his toes. So they’re definitely gonna be a giant a part of our planning and the dilemma that you’ve on protection.”
Daniels completed 32 of 45 passes for 300 yards in last week’s 40-13 home loss to Tennessee. Still, his performance did little to make a difference on the scoreboard.
Kelly has encouraged Daniels to be more aggressive in the passing game by taking a few more chances, which could be a requirement at sold-out Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on Saturday night if Richardson is hot like last year’s game at Tiger Stadium.
“He must proceed to step ahead,” Kelly said this week, “to go on the highway and handle the offense in a really tough atmosphere. We’ve received to see that enchancment and development as effectively.”
Napier has stated the identical of Richardson this season. As the Richardson-Daniels matchup is a featured attraction heading into Saturday, Jones remained in concussion protocol at Arizona State on Wednesday.
Jones left Arizona State’s 45-38 win over Washington after getting hit within the head on a run within the second quarter. Backup Trenton Bourguet got here on to rally the Sun Devils to an upset victory.
Now they’re speaking a couple of quarterback battle in Tempe when Jones is cleared to return. That’s a subject Napier and Kelly would like to keep away from after Saturday evening’s showdown in The Swamp.
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