He could throw with the velocity of a baseball pitcher and run like a track star.
But none of the big schools in his home state of Texas offered Daniel a football scholarship.
At 5-foot-11, he was too short to play quarterback.
"When it comes to quarterbacks, everyone thinks it's a beauty contest,” said North Texas coach Todd Dodge, who was Daniel's high school coach at Southlake Carroll. "If people would've had a crystal ball back then, they would've thought twice about passing on him just because he wasn't the prototypical size.”
Now at Missouri, Daniel has the undefeated Tigers at No. 11 in the polls, their highest ranking since 1981.
Daniel will arrive in Norman this weekend coming off his best game as a Tiger, completing 33 of 47 passes for a career-best 401 yards and accounting for four touchdowns as the Tigers spanked Nebraska 41-6 in front of their first sellout crowd in four years.
"He's just really good. He's accurate. Obviously he's very comfortable in the system,” OU coach Bob Stoops said. "You've got to do a good job of trying to bother him or get pressure, change up what you're doing.”
Daniel has tossed for 1,712 yards and 15 touchdowns, one year after shattering the school's single-season passing record by throwing for 3,527 yards as a sophomore.
He is completing 66.8 percent of his passes with just four interceptions.
And Daniel is Missouri's second-leading rusher, averaging almost 38 yards a game on the ground.
"I've been around some good quarterbacks, and he's the best I've ever been around,” said Tigers coach Gary Pinkel during Monday's Big 12 teleconference. "I know there's a lot of good quarterbacks in the country, but he's got to be one of the top.”
Not everyone thought so three years ago.
His senior year in high school, Daniel led Southlake Carroll to a 16-0 record, a state championship and a mythical national championship by USA Today.
"From the standpoint of watching video to drill work, he was someone who poured himself into everything there was to being a quarterback,” Dodge said. "He was a lot of fun to coach.”
But despite earning national player of the year honors, diminutive Daniel wasn't given a scholarship by his dream school, Texas.
"Missouri was the first school to offer Chase,” said Dodge, who played quarterback at Texas in the 1980s. "And there's something to be said for going somewhere you're really wanted.
"He could probably run for governor in Missouri right now and win.”
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Bill, you are right. Kudos to the Tigers. I was wrong. But once again, OU gets the win. What 17 of the last 18 now? Seriously, Mizzou is a very good football team. Coach Pinkel is a great guy and you should have every reason to be excited about your season. Good luck the rest of the way out. Maybe we'll see you in San Antonio in early December. Pleasure visiting with you!!!
Well, Brian, the Tigers were closer than the 52-14 which you said would be VERY close to the final. :) I knew Mizzou would end up with more than 14, but I wasn't sure we could score enough to win. There's always next time...
I went to Mizzou and am a Mizzou fan and have really enjoyed watching them actually play well this season. But do I think they can win in Norman today? Nope. I just hope they play well and hold their own and make it an enjoyable game to watch!
There are alot of people in here talking like OU still isn't the team to beat in the BIG XII. If wasn't for the craziest year of college football, Missouri would be another mid-teen ranked team. I take nothing away from Chase Daniel, but lets not forgot OU still has Sam Bradford. Missouri will play a good game, but come the end of the day the crowd will will to Daniel. BIG XII CHAMPS (AGAIN).. forget history
There are alot of people in here talking like OU still isn't the team to beat in the BIG XII. If wasn't for the craziest year of college football, Missouri would be another mid-teen ranked team. I take nothing away from Chase Daniel, but lets not forgot OU still has Sam Bradford. Missouri will play a good game, but come the end of the day the crowd will will to Daniel. BIG XII CHAMPS (AGAIN).. forget history
There are alot of people in here talking like OU still isn't the team to beat in the BIG XII. If wasn't for the craziest year of college football, Missouri would be another mid-teen ranked team. I take nothing away from Chase Daniel, but lets not forgot OU still has Sam Bradford. Missouri will play a good game, but come the end of the day the crowd will will to Daniel. BIG XII CHAMPS (AGAIN).. forget history
Forget history. Just because Oklahoma was a perennial power doesn't mean they are yet today. The recruiting playing field has been leveled to a certain degree and the traditional "lesser" teams are no longer relegated as doormats. New year, different teams. Home field advantage is called that for a reason...it is an advantage. Can Missouri overcome that built-in advantage?? You might say a team that was overwhelmingly better could and should. The fact is Missouri is not overwhelmingly better on paper or on the field. Does that mean they should not play the game? I think we all know the answer to that. The team which brings the most heart and passion combined with cool headed confidence can win. Turnovers, dumb penalties always enter into the equation. Missouri may not win, but you can't just write them off...be ready...they have something to prove.
A writer in this morning's Kansas City Star reports that OU is very good at a lot of things, not great at any. Well -- that may be true but being very good at a lot of things means you win most of your games, (or should). I still cannot get a handle on this year's team. There have been so many surprises this season its hard to gauge anybody. I don't think Missouri can win a pressure game in the snake pit. If OU's defense jells Missouri may be in big trouble.
Bill, I appreciate your comments. I heard a Mizzou player on the radio today say that if OU beats Mizzou it will prove OU is for real and get more national attention. Perhaps a defining moment in our season. This isn't a direct quote but content is the same. Let me set the record straight. Mizzou is a VERY GOOD football team THIS YEAR. Beating Mizzou has NEVER been a defining game, and will probably NEVER be a defining game for OU. Not being mean with all respect to your Tigers, your program is on the right track, just being honest. Yes sir, I could disrupt the Mizzou O. See you all tomorrow night!!! OU 52 Mizzou 14.
Bill, you are right, he is height challenged. In the past several years most good QB in college and NFL are 6'3". Not many Doug Flutie types running the show any more because it helps to see over the linemen who are getting even larger. On another note, an old fotball coah (Switzer) said one time "defense wins championships". I wish ours was better, Mizzou should hope it can get one.
Bill I somewhat agree with you, but only to a point. This isn't the same caliber of defense they had when Boz was here. They aren't counting on the defense to hold their score down. They have to effectively run the football to prevent Mizzou from putting up numbers. It doesn't seem like any team has really tried to shorten the game, instead they've tried to outscore them, hoping the Mizzou defense would crack. That's a terrible idea, and I hope for Bob's sake he doesn't try to light up the defense with crazy plays, but instead just plays solid, no turnover, smashmouth football.
As for Steve's comments, I think there are a multitude of reasons why Chase Daniel is leading a very potent Division 1 offense, and you, even with your acclaimed accuracy are not. :) As far as his deficiencies go, the only one I can really identify is his height.
As the biased outsider, I'd just like to chime in on Daniel. For the record, Daniel wasn't recruited heavily by any of the big 4 in Texas. UT only offered him a last-minute scholarship after Ryan Perrilloux backed out and went to LSU. As a Mizzou fan, I do think the Tigers are capable of an upset in Norman. Do I think it's likely? Nope. I don't think MU has the defense or the big-game experience yet to pull it off. However, if "Brian" (Boz?) thinks his D or the current one could hold the Tigers to 14, I'm thinking that's as unlikely as a Mizzou win. OU 31-MU 28
The fake FG against Nebraska was 3 minutes into the fourth quarter, not with 3 minutes left.
If you watch Mizzou play, Chase Daniel does a pretty good job of staying in the pocket and stepping into his throws. The O-Line is good, but not great. If OU can pressure him, it's certainly going to change the game. They're not going to keep more than 5 plus the HB in to block, so the line pressure is a must.
If OU holds Mizzou to 10 or 14, they're not going to score more than 30. It will be because they just ran, ran, and ran again, and killed the clock. The best way to stop this offense is by keeping the ball away, not by trying to match them score for score. I agree that OU could hold them to 10-17 (I don't think they will, but they certainly could), but if they do that, they won't score 52 or something that high. Mizzou's offense is too good to have the ball that many times and not put up 24-30 at a minimum.
The Bugeaters,, ha ha. I haven't heard that one in quite awhile. Mizzou beating Nebraska at Mizzou doesn't prove a thing. Just like OU smashing North Texas State, proved nothing other than OU knew which goal was theirs. Look at Daniels on tape. He can throw the ball, so what so can I and fairly accurately, but all he does is run around scramble for his life. He can never be a stand in the pocket type of QB and he is second in yards with 38, give me a break. Like I said he can throw the ball, but his defeciancies might be why some of the big schoools passed on him. OU 45 to 28
Also, Mizz piled it on a terrible NU team including a late meaningless TD on a beat team. Pinkle obviously thought he had something to prove faking a field goal with 3 mins left in the game
Not that I care, but he also had some very unflattering statements he made directed towards Texas schools. Again, not that I really care. I am with Brian I think it will be in the 49 to 24 ish score. Missouri can move the ball, but so could Tulsa. The defense of Mizz wont stop OU.
It is not true that Daniel was not recruited by any Texas school. He was offered by Texas I know for a fact. When he was coming out he publicly stated he wantd to go somewhere play right away. That eliminated A&M & Texass
When I played there it would, and still think it can/will.From an insider standpoint no disrespect to Dan. Yep, it can. A few who post here know who I am. Does that make me right? No. Obviously Dan may know football a little better than me though. ;) But I guarantee you I am VERY close to the final score. We shall see. I'll be doing some radio work in Norman on Friday night. Look forward to seeing all of my brothers there. 'Brian'
Oklahoma defense won't hold Missouri to 14, no way that will happen. By the same token Missouri won't stop Oklahoma. Looks like a shoot out. 41 to 38 Missouri. Turnovers will dictate the outcome. Missouri should have won the game at home last year, they choked, roughed the kicker, late hit out of bounds, dropped sure touchdown..basically did not do the things winning programs do to win games. If they get past the Nebraska win and play to their abilities, they will be in this game.
I give my kudos to the Tigers for turning it up several notches this season, directly attributed to Chase Daniel. If this game were in Columbia I may a little uneasy, but being in Norman and the Sooner train in starting to get back on track again. look at 2000, there were some close calls as well. Granted OU went undefeated then, but were generally an afterthought going into the season coming off a 7-5 record and several mediocre season to proceed that. OU can very well be in the NC game this year, a very strange year at best. OU 52 Mizzou 14. Somewhere in that range.
If out front four can pressure Daniel, I think we'll be in great shape. Not much of a pass rush in Boulder without the help of bringing extra defenders. A good pass rush is half desire and half talent...hopefully our guys will be motivated to get after so the guys in back can do their thing. If that front four gets in Daniels' face, it will get ugly in a hurry for the Tigers. GO SOONERS!
The Sooner's pass defense has been a little weak, Ihope they can fix the problem before Missouri comes to town or it could be a long evening for the Sooners.Don't get me wrong I'm a big sooner fan since 1955.
I feel as uneasy about this game with Mizzou as I did about the game with Colorado. Unless we get some pressure on this guy, he is going to run us ragged and make us look silly. Hope I am wrong and everyone is telling me next Monday how wrong I was. I watched the Nebraska-Mizzou game and although the Bugeaters (for those of you not up on Nebraska lore, what they were called before they became the Huskers) aren't even in the same class as the Sooners this year, it wouldn't be the first time we have had trouble with this kind of offense and talent. Hope I am wrong! Go Sooners!
If my memory serves me right, Missouri was undefeated at 7-0 last year and starting to generate raves. Then OU went to Missouri and beat them pretty bad. The tigers kind of went downhill from there. Hopefully the same will hold true for this year.
OU football notebook 10/10/2007 Maclin presents challenge Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops won't accept the blanket statement that his special teams have struggled this season. "Some of them...
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Wont be surprised if it is an upset game.
The fake FG against Nebraska was 3 minutes into the fourth quarter, not with 3 minutes left.
If you watch Mizzou play, Chase Daniel does a pretty good job of staying in the pocket and stepping into his throws. The O-Line is good, but not great. If OU can pressure him, it's certainly going to change the game. They're not going to keep more than 5 plus the HB in to block, so the line pressure is a must.
If OU holds Mizzou to 10 or 14, they're not going to score more than 30. It will be because they just ran, ran, and ran again, and killed the clock. The best way to stop this offense is by keeping the ball away, not by trying to match them score for score. I agree that OU could hold them to 10-17 (I don't think they will, but they certainly could), but if they do that, they won't score 52 or something that high. Mizzou's offense is too good to have the ball that many times and not put up 24-30 at a minimum.