Jayden Daniels Heisman Season Recap

Erik Trosclair • December 23, 2023

What a season it was!


Coming into the 2023 college football season, Jayden Daniels' odds to win the Heisman Trophy were somewhere in the top five depending on what site you looked at. If you are anything like me, you were cautiously optimistic about this coming into the season. Statistically, in the season opener against Florida State, the season got off to a pretty good start as Jayden accounted for over 400 total yards, but the Tigers lost by 21 points. The following week against Grambling State, Jayden basically did anything he wanted to do, throwing for five touchdowns. The following week against Mississippi State is when Jayden started to turn a few heads, throwing for over 300 yards while only throwing four incomplete passes. Also, he gained over 400 total yards. The next game, in a real nail bitter, Jayden threw for 320 yards and four touchdowns, leading the Tigers to an exciting win over rival Arkansas. The following week against in a crazy game against SEC West foe Ole Miss, Jayden would throw for 414 yards (the most he would throw for all season) and four touchdowns, while rushing for 99 yards and another score. The Tigers would head up to Missouri in a 11 AM kickoff, Jayden would throw for 259 yards and three touchdowns, while running for 130 yards and finding the end zone on the ground, at this point it is beginning to sound like we are following stats from a video game. LSU would return to Death Valley to take on SEC West rival Auburn, Jayden would gain a total of 418 and three touchdowns. The Tigers would stay home the following week to take on Army, Jayden would account for 285 total yards and four touchdowns, keep in mind he would exit this game early. The next week, Jayden would lead the Tigers into Tuscaloosa to take on the Alabama Crimson Tide, this game Jayden would put on a show for the nation to see, Jayden racked up 382 total yards and three scores, he would take a huge hit which forced him to leave the game early. At this point, many sportsbooks would remove Jayden's name from the Heisman odds. The following week, in my favorite game of Jayden's season, the Tigers would take on the Florida Gators in Baton Rouge, Jayden would the for 372 yards and three scores while adding 234 rushing yards and two scores. Jayden had an 85 yard run in this game where he just made it look easy. It was a something special. In the final two games of the season, head coach Brian Kelly basically made it his mission to get Jayden to New York to the Heisman Trophy ceremony. The following week Georgia State would come to Death Valley to play the Tigers. Jayden would put up over 500 yards and eight, yes eight, touchdowns. It was at this point, Jayden Daniels' Heisman odds were just behind Bo Nix of Oregon. For the final game of the regular season, LSU would welcome the Texas A&M Aggies into Baton Rouge, the Aggie offense would have possession for nearly 37 minutes, only letting the Jayden and the entire Tigers offense to have the ball for just over 23 minutes. That would not hold Jayden from putting up 355 total yards and 4 touchdowns. It was shortly after this game that LSU would go on full attack mode to get Jayden the Heisman. LSU launch the "That Kid Jayden" campaign, creating a website, mini series, and putting up a billboard in Las Vegas. Then on December 9th, Jayden's amazing season recognized as he would take home the Heisman Trophy. Jayden Daniels' 2023 season will now forever be remembered as one of the greatest season in college football history.


Jayden Daniels 2023 Award Recap

AP Player of the Year

Walter Camp Player of the Year

Davey O'Brien Award Winner

Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Winner

First Team All American - AP, FWAA, Sporting News, and AFCA

Second Team All American - Walter Camp

First Team All SEC - AP and SEC Coaches

Manning Award Finalist

Maxwell Award College Player of the Year Finalist

Walter Camp National Offensive Player of the Week vs Florida

Maxwell Award National Player of the Week vs Florida

Davey O'Brien National QB of the Week vs Florida

SEC Offensive Player of the Week vs Georgia State, Florida, Missouri, Arkansas, and Mississippi State


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Why Peyton "Pop" Houston Could Play a Major Role in LSU's Pursuit of Easton RoyalWhy Peyton "Pop" Houston Could Play a Major Role in LSU's Pursuit of Easton Royal

By Auston Taylor • July 8, 2026
 LSU has made it clear that five-star wide receiver Easton Royal remains one of its top priorities in the 2027 recruiting class. Although Royal is currently committed to Texas, LSU has continued to recruit him aggressively. Based on recent recruiting events and public reporting, one factor that could strengthen the Tigers' position is the presence of quarterback commit Peyton "Pop" Houston. While no outcome is guaranteed in recruiting, Houston's relationship with Royal has become one of the more intriguing storylines surrounding LSU's 2027 class. According to recruiting coverage from The Opening and reports from And The Valley Shook, Houston and Royal showcased noticeable chemistry while competing together on the national stage. Houston also drew attention by winning the event's longest throw competition with a reported 67-yard throw, further reinforcing why many evaluators consider him one of the premier quarterback prospects in the 2027 class. In my view, Houston has the potential to become much more than another highly rated offensive commitment. Elite quarterbacks often become magnets for other top recruits, and early signs suggest Houston could have that kind of influence on LSU's 2027 recruiting class. Why Houston Matters in Royal's Recruitment Quarterback and wide receiver relationships have become one of the most influential factors in modern recruiting. Elite receivers aren't simply choosing a school—they're choosing an offense, a coaching staff, and perhaps most importantly, the quarterback who will help maximize their abilities. If Royal ultimately views Houston as LSU's quarterback of the future, it gives the Tigers another compelling selling point. Rather than asking Royal to imagine what the offense could become, LSU can point to chemistry that has already been displayed during national recruiting events. That doesn't guarantee a commitment flip, but it does provide LSU with something tangible that few recruiting pitches can offer: an established connection between two elite prospects. LSU's History Shows Why This Matters LSU's greatest offensive seasons have consistently featured elite quarterbacks throwing to elite receivers. During the Tigers' historic 2019 National Championship season, Joe Burrow captured the Heisman Trophy while throwing to arguably the greatest receiving corps in college football history—Ja'Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson, and Terrace Marshall Jr. That offense rewrote NCAA record books and remains the standard for modern college football offenses. A few years later, history repeated itself. Jayden Daniels won the 2023 Heisman Trophy while benefiting from one of the nation's most explosive receiving duos in Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. Daniels' remarkable development was certainly his own, but LSU's elite receiving talent allowed the offense to reach another level. The lesson is clear: great quarterbacks elevate receivers, but elite receivers also help quarterbacks reach championship-level production. That history gives LSU a compelling message for recruits considering Baton Rouge. Peyton "Pop" Houston's Development Houston's rise as one of Louisiana's premier quarterback prospects is backed by more than recruiting rankings. Evaluators consistently praise his arm strength, touch, ability to extend plays outside the pocket, and willingness to attack defenses vertically. His continued development at Evangel Christian Academy has made him one of the foundation pieces of LSU's 2027 recruiting class. The Bigger Picture If LSU eventually pairs Peyton Houston with Easton Royal, it would represent much more than another recruiting victory. It would signal that LSU landed a quarterback capable of attracting elite talent around him while adding a receiver willing to build alongside that vision. Programs that consistently compete for championships often see recruiting momentum build this way. Elite quarterbacks attract receivers. Elite receivers attract additional offensive talent. Once that cycle begins, recruiting classes can quickly become special. None of this guarantees that Easton Royal will flip his commitment. Texas remains in a strong position, and recruiting decisions can change for countless reasons. However, Houston's emergence gives LSU something every elite program hopes to have: a quarterback capable of becoming the centerpiece of an entire recruiting class. LSU has already witnessed what happens when championship-caliber quarterbacks are paired with elite receivers. Joe Burrow won the Heisman Trophy. Jayden Daniels won the Heisman Trophy. If Peyton "Pop" Houston eventually helps bring Easton Royal to Baton Rouge, it could become one of the defining recruiting stories of LSU's 2027 class—and perhaps the first step toward building another explosive Tiger offense.

Tight End Room Outlook: Revamped and Ready To Roll

By Kaden Arkeder • July 4, 2026
The tight end room has some fresh blood and they look poised to be more impactful heading into next season. With the new arrivals of Noah Fant and third round draft pick Oscar Delp the offense will have the ability to play more in multiple tight end sets to create mismatches for the defense. Multiple tight end sets should allow the Saints to improve the run game and conversely the play action game. Playing in tight end heavy sets was something they were unable to do more of last year due to injuries and lack of talent at the tight end position. Mainstay and the only returning starting caliber player is Juwan Johnson. Johnson had a good year last year as one of the few reliable targets in the passing game aside from Chris Olave. Johnson is looking to build on a solid year where he had 77 receptions for 889 receiving yards with 3 touchdowns. He was a security blanket when Rattler was starting and had quite a few big plays when Shough took over as the starting quarterback. With Shough coming into the season as the presumed starter I expect their connection to be even better next season. Someone hoping to have a better connection with a new QB is Noah Fant. Fant was a first round pick back in 2019 with the Broncos but has never quite lived up to his draft status. Fant will be playing on his third team in three years as he seeks to be a quality rotational piece in the offense and find stability for his career here in New Orleans. Fant should be utilized more in the passing game than in the running game but should be able to hold his own when called upon to do his part on run downs. Fant has been on a statistical decline since his time with Denver as his best receiving season came in at 68/670/4 back in 2021. Although his stats have been declining Fant still has plenty to offer with his athleticism and should produce more given a better opportunity. After Fant in the depth chart should be Oscar Delp who could be the x-factor of the tight end room after being selected in the third round of the draft this year. Delp brings a versatile option to the offense as he can lineup in various spots and handle the rigors of blocking in the run game. Delp’s calling card in college was his elite athleticism which jumps off the screen when you watch his tape. He has the ability to turn a five yard catch into an explosive play with how quickly he can get to top speed. Delp is an adequate, willing blocker where like most new tight ends in the league has room to improve in the blocking area of his game. With his versatility and athleticism I believe Delp will play a pivotal role in the offense this upcoming season. With Delp presumed to round out the depth chart at tight end the remaining tight ends will be competing for spots on the practice squad or spots on another team. This group includes Cody Hardy, Treyton Welch, Moliki Matavao, and Zaire Mitchell-Paden. We’ve seen Welch and Matavao from last season fill in admirably after some injuries but are best served as bench options at this point in time in their development. This group of roster hopefuls should hopefully provide some good competition from one another as we progress through training camp and preseason here shortly. Overall this group has a lot more promise heading into this season as it did last year. By getting younger and more athletic the tight ends will play a more prominent role in Kellen Moore’s offense. Whether it’s Juwan building on last season or Fant having a bounce back year or Delp proving to be revelation, the team is going to have plenty of options to choose from to attack the defense. Exactly what this team needed after not having enough last season.
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