They say greatness comes from outside of your comfort zone, when you dig deep into the core of yourself and uncover potential that was hidden before.
Greatness isn’t just given; it’s earned.
At the end of his 2021 season at Arizona State, quarterback Jayden Daniels walked off of the field knowing he was good. But, he didn’t want to be good.
He wanted to be great.
The California native found his home in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, soon after, taking a chance on the program, and on himself. Choosing LSU would ultimately be the most pivotal decision of his life.
“There were other opportunities for him,” LSU quarterback coach Joe Sloan said in “That Kid Jayden,” LSU’s four-part documentary on Daniels. “He came here with no promises and an opportunity to compete, and he always challenged himself that way.”
Daniels didn’t become a Heisman Trophy winner overnight, though, and it would take more than one season for him to settle into his offensive groove.
That isn’t to say, however, that LSU didn’t find success in the 2022 season.
The Tigers underwent coaching and positional changes, were in some sort of rebuilding period following the peak 2019 season, and yet still managed to find themselves fighting for an Southeastern Conference Championship against the then No. 1 Georgia Bulldogs.
It was Daniels at the forefront of it all.
But Daniels knew he could be more. He wanted to return to LSU for his last season, but only if he knew for certain that the people around him would be willing to work towards greatness just as much as he was.
“When he decided to come back, one of the things that he asked me and asked our staff is, ‘Hey, if I’m coming back, we need to have a plan. What am I coming back for?’” Sloan said in “That Kid Jayden.”
Daniels began approaching the game with an all-or-nothing mindset. If he was going to spend one more year playing college football, why not take it all the way?
And so, Daniels and the coaching staff cracked open the books and began rewriting his game plan.
Not long after, the coaching staff began to watch this plan unfold right in front of them. When Daniels elevated his preparation, he also raised his performance. The staff watched as, little by little, he developed into the player he wanted so badly to be.
“I think it started in spring football,” offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock said in “That Kid Jayden.” “You could see that he had addressed some of the things that we felt like were holding us back.”
Daniels continued to work toward his end goal throughout the summer as well. His new routine started at 5 a.m at LSU’s practice facility, where he would sit and analyze film, dissecting the plays into minuscule movements and taking notes.
Some mornings, he was joined by his receivers.
The quarterback also began to prioritize the physical aspects of the game just as much as he did the mental aspects.
“He was emerging throughout the season in ’22,” head coach Brian Kelly said in “That Kid Jayden.” “You could see that that growth was occurring, but I think the physical development, the understanding of how important it was for him to put on more weight and develop physically, you could see it in the weight room.”
This newfound physicality coupled with a profound game mentality went hand in hand. It allowed him to fully act on the plays he could envision.
Daniels worked closely with the coaching staff, taking in their critiques and working to harder and harder to overcome deficits. The relationship he continued to develop with Sloan became the foundation of who he became as a quarterback.
“He played a pivotal role in my life,” Daniels said to reporters about Sloan before the Heisman ceremony. “You know, just challenging me in different types of ways, and just the relationship that we built over the past two years, you know, just to see me grow in little facets of areas that needed improvement. I can say that he’s probably proud of me.”
In each game of his last season at LSU, Daniels continued to push his performances to new heights. He became the epitome of hard work, embodying the late nights and early mornings that he consistently showed up for.
After those games, Kelly made sure to credit Daniels’ preparation during the week as the reason he was able to overcome adversity on the field each Saturday night.
“I think that the game comes a little bit easier to him now,” Kelly said in “That Kid Jayden.” “I think his preparation is outstanding so when he gets to Saturday, I think he’s very confident in what he sees and how he’s going to play the game.”
Daniels now leaves LSU with new hardware, along with an accepted invitation to join the most prestigious brotherhood in all of college football.
He is the 2023 Heisman Trophy winner, but he always knew he could be. He strived to unlock a new level of greatness and did just that.
“I wanted to elevate my game,” Daniels told reporters before the Heisman ceremony, “not just for the season, but for the future. I had to look in the mirror at myself and say, ‘How do I get better?’”
Now, months later, Daniels isn’t just better. He’s officially the best.
