On the Chase, with no time to relax

[Eric the Red]

On the Chase, with no time to relax

 

By STEVEN M. SIPPLE / Journal Star ANALYSIS

Sunday, May 06, 2007 - 12:27:28 am CDT

Missouri quarterback Chase Daniel looks for an open receiver April 21 during the first half of the Black and Gold scrimmage in Columbia, Mo. (AP)

Please pardon my crudeness, but Chase Daniel is a pain in the you-know-what if you happen to be a defender in the Big 12 Conference.

 

The strong-armed and mobile Missouri quarterback is the kind of guy that keeps defensive coordinators awake at night — even during the gentle days of May with college football games far in the dreamy distance.

 

Daniel is the kind of guy Nebraska defenders might summon in their consciousness this summer when it’s 100 degrees and the last thing in the world they want to do is pivot around another cone or hoist another dumbbell.

 

Daniel says Missouri’s offseason theme is to “win every single day,” a literal and figurative reminder to avoid frittering away summer months lest the Tigers return to their customary place as conference also-rans.

 

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Make no mistake — Missouri’s quarterback has a championship way about him.

 

“If you’re not the most competitive person on the team, you probably shouldn’t be playing quarterback,” Daniel says in a matter-of-fact and confident tone that reminds you he could become a sizable pain in the you-know-what for Nebraska come Oct. 6 in Columbia, Mo.

 

We dig up Daniel in these early days of May because he is arguably the key player in what stacks up to be a landmark game in the Big 12 North race. Winner gets the if-necessary tiebreaker. Winner takes command early in the race. Winner potentially powers forward to a colossal breakthrough season.

 

It’s easy to imagine, in this hazy non-football malaise of May, Nebraska’s balanced attack shredding a Missouri defense that was generally porous last season, especially against the run.

 

Yet it’s equally as easy to imagine Daniel adroitly distributing the pigskin to a potpourri of tall and fleet receivers. He completed passes this spring at an 80 percent clip and says he’s settled into the comfortable role of “distributor.”

 

“I just have to throw to these guys and let them take it 50 yards down the field,” Daniel says. “We have that kind of talent on offense.”

 

It’s easy to imagine Nebraska jumping ahead by a couple of touchdowns and Daniel digging in the way he typically does and leading the Tigers back into a brawl. Oh, he’s not perfect — his five interceptions in back-to-back losses to Oklahoma and Nebraska last season drive him to improve this offseason.

 

“I was pressing,” he says. “Trying to do too much.”

 

Say this for Daniel: The 5-foot-11, 225-pound ball of fire always keeps coming. He’s a relentless competitor, a tough son of a you-know-what.

 

And you know what? Daniel — perhaps I’m reaching here — embodies the determination and fight-to-the-end spirit Nebraska likely will need in 2007 as it marches through a particularly rugged schedule, one with a Nadia Comaneci-esque degree of difficulty that will necessitate extreme vigor and focus on a weekly basis.

 

The Huskers, if they’re lucky, might get a couple Saturday breathers during their brutal schedule — tops.

 

They’ll have to breathe hard to prevail at Wake Forest, which broke through last season using mostly third-year sophomores and fourth-year juniors. Some pundits in the Atlantic Coast Conference say the 2007 Demon Deacons possess more overall depth and talent.

 

Heaven knows Nebraska will have to breathe hard to beat Southern California, which might rattle a few NFL teams with a defense that returns 10 starters. All told, the Trojans have 31 players who have started at least once.

 

Dare to overlook even Nevada, with its run-oriented “pistol” offense and a defense that may be the best in the WAC, or even Ball State, which last season had a chance to tie Michigan with 2:46 remaining in Ann Arbor, Mich., before the Wolverines escaped 34-26.

 

Take a breather against reeling Iowa State, but gird for Oklahoma State, one of two teams last season to average 200 yards both passing and rushing (Boise State was the other). Almost all of the Cowboys’ skill players return.

 

And on and on.

 

If Missouri wins any sort of championship, it won’t be led by its defense. The Tigers will win because of Daniel and a cast of receivers that includes Will Franklin, Martin Rucker and Chase Coffman.

 

Or perhaps an upgrade in mentality will be their key.

 

“I just think that last year, we took what the defense gave,” Daniel says of a spread attack that ranked eighth nationally in total offense. “This year we want to attack the defense no matter what it does.”

 

Daniel says he will spend ample time with teammates this summer — hanging out, grilling out, chillin’ out. It’s a time to bond and develop chemistry, he says.

 

It’s also a time for hard work.

 

In a title chase, there’s little time to relax.

 

Reach Steven M. Sipple at 473-7440 or ssipple@journalstar.com.

[Always a husker]

I cant wait for Missouri. Its going to be a great game but I cant wait for Chase Daniels to meet Ndamukong Suh and Barry Turner.

[BIGREDIOWAN]

I think we will beat them this year in their house.

[MCAT800]

Boy they sure are looking forward to the NU game, I sure would like to see us make it real memorable for them.

[BIGREDIOWAN]

It's kinda ridiculous how confident they are after how we played them last year. I will say though that we haven't played well there for a long time so I guess I can see what they are saying and they wouldn't be fans of their team if they didn't believe in them.

[AR Husker Fan]

Anyone have any info regarding their offensive line? Number of returning starters? That sort of thing? Whether Daniels has a quality season depends on how well the line holds up - even Daniels won't be effective if he's scrambling on every play...

[hskrdedhed]

Ole Booger didnt look to threatening against us last season. He is getting a lot of hype on the ESPN board as well.

[Touchdown Tommie]

This game is going to be a good one. Missery maybe be thinking too far ahead and will stumble. I agree BRI that we have not played well there in a long time. This is the turning point!!!

[Husker IN Hawaii]

In my humble opinion,

 

Chase Daniels is almost as over rated as Brady Quinn . I believe he is a tremendous prospect and has alot to offer an NFL team that has the right components to let him work some magic.

 

Here lies the problem ...

 

Missouri does not have "all the right components" to give Chase Daniels the oporitunity to do the things he can.

 

In response to AR Huskers question, their O-Line at Missouri is nothing I would say past average. They return 3 staraters and they have alot of injury. But that is not the real problem with Missouri. The biggest thorn in their side is the lack of the running game.

 

If you can't run the ball then you can not keep the defense honest ... plain and simple. The Missouri running game is a 4 at best on a 10 scale.

 

Chase Daniels might be a great QB but if Missouri is this cocky going into the 2007 season they are gonna have a rude awaikening when they play us.

 

[HSKRNOKC]

That is a tough road game. We are going to really have to get after it that day to walk away with a W.

[Always a husker]

I hope we dont look ahead to Missouri because Iowa State is not a team to do that to. We will just have to take each game week by week and dont get ahead of ourselves.

[Chef K]

Guess maybe he should be checked for "juiced" boogers.