Yesterday was Ben Askren Day, so today we focus on his opponent in the upcoming Mizzou 25 finals, Chase Daniel. To get to the finals, Daniel steamrolled everyone in front of him, beating Corby Jones (87%-12%), Martin Rucker (75%-24%), Brad Smith (77%-22%), and Pig Brown (88%-11%).
As with Askren yesterday, feel free to share your Daniel thoughts, stories, videos, and links in comments.
(Showmenews)
(SI)
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A KOMU piece on the Heisman Finalist.
CBS discusses Chase's value to the program.
It went without saying that this was going to be posted.
Owns the best career QB rating in MU history, at 143.80 entering the 2008 season, as well as numerous single-game and single-season passing and total offense records ... Needs just 620 passing yards in 2008 to become MU's career passing yardage leader (enters with 8,180, trailing only Brad Smith's 8,799) ... Has a shot at breaking Smith's MU career total offense record as well, as he enters his final season with 8,869 yards, needing 4,220 to break Smith's record of 13,088 (2002-05) ... Does the majority of his damage in the air, but is also able to hurt defenses with his feet, as he has run for nearly 700 yards and for 9 TDs in MU's attacking spread offense ... Has a fearless mentality that translates well into the intangible category of leadership, and also possesses a great knowledge of the game, to go along with his considerable athletic skills.
From 'chasetheheisman.com'
One of the most highly accomplished high school athletes to ever accept a scholarship to Mizzou, who came to MU after being named the 2004 EA Sports National High School Player of the Year on the strength of impressive team and individual accomplishments ... Proved to be one of the best dual-threat QBs in the country over the last two years, as he led a record-setting offensive attack that was deadly both in the air and on the ground ... Ranked as the No. 3 quarterback prospect nationally, according to analyst Max Emfinger ... Led his Southlake Carroll team to a perfect 16-0 record in 2004 and a Class 5A state championship, in addition to a No. 1 national ranking and mythical national championship by numerous publications, including USA Today and Student Sports Magazine
ESPN on Daniel and a (lesser!) sawed-off counterpart
After visiting Missouri and hearing all the right answers about how he would fit in the offense, Daniel committed. That was despite the presence of then-starter Brad Smith, who would go on to be the most productive run-pass quarterback in Missouri history, and redshirt Chase Patton, a top-15 prospect who played right there in Columbia, Mo.
"He wasn't real worried about the competition," Yost said.
Missouri was. When Texas figured out that it might lose Perrilloux to LSU, it inquired with Dodge about Daniel's level of commitment to Mizzou. Dodge told them his QB wouldn't change his mind, and Daniel became a Tiger.
From SI following the win over KU
"He'd be the first one to tell you it was the offensive line, the wide receivers or tight ends [who deserve the credit]," says seventh-year Missouri coach Gary Pinkel. "But I'm going to be the first one to tell you, this guy is special."
The zone umbrella might work very well against Cody Hawkins or Bret Meyer or one of Baylor's hapless quintet, but Chase Daniel is clearly a slightly undersized cyborg by comparison: he hit 40 of 49 passes under almost no pressure, virtually all of them taking advantage of the soft underbelly born of KU's respect/fear/lack of athleticism in space. ... Even when things broke down, as on Mizzou's second touchdown, Daniel was able to buy time and deliver a third down dagger at the end of a wild scramble drill because Kansas was sitting back, only rushing three. Sometimes that's effective (see below), but not against a quarterback as heady and efficient as Chase Daniel.
Give a Heisman finalist another shot at No. 1 with an easier schedule and what have you got? Chase Daniel with a chance to run the table. Even if tailback Tony Temple (281 yards in the Cotton Bowl) loses his NCAA appeal for an extra year, the Tigers will be loaded. They will win one, if not both, of the tough road games against Nebraska and Texas. 2008 schedule