🏈 Jalon Daniels on Walter Camp Player of the Year Watch List

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels is one of 45 players who have been named players to watch for the 2023 Walter Camp Football Foundation’s Player of the Year Award, which is given annually to the college football player of the year.

This is the fourth preseason watch list to recognize Daniels, who has also been named the Big 12 Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. Daniels appears on watch lists for the Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award, the Maxwell Award and the Wuerffel Trophy.

The Walter Camp Player of the Year Award is the nation’s fourth-oldest individual college football accolade and is voted on by the 133 NCAA Bowl Subdivision head coaches and sports information directors. Walter Camp, “The Father of American football,” first selected an All-America team in 1889. A former Yale University athlete and football coach, Camp is credited with developing play from scrimmage, set plays, the numerical assessment of goals and tries and the restriction of play to eleven men per side. The Walter Camp Football Foundation – a New Haven-based all-volunteer group – was founded in 1967 to perpetuate the ideals of Camp and to continue the tradition of selecting annually an All-America team.

Daniels has been recognized by the Walter Camp Award before as he was named the Walter Camp National FBS Offensive Player of the Week following his performance at Houston early in the 2022 season. Heading into the 2023 season, he has been named to the Preseason All-Big 12 First Team and earned preseason all-conference honors from Athlon Sports and Phil Steele. Last season, Daniels earned All-Big 12 Second Team honors and was a Second Team Academic All-American.

From Lawndale, California, Daniels was a breakthrough player during the 2022 season as he led the Jayhawks to a 5-0 start and the program’s first bowl game appearance since 2008. He completed 152-of-230 (66.1 percent) passes for 2,014 yards and 18 touchdowns and added 425 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground. Daniels capped off the season with a record-setting performance in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl, where he went 37-of-55 for 544 yards and five touchdowns, while also rushing for a touchdown.

The 2023 Walker Camp Player of the Year Watch List includes 38 offensive players (20 quarterbacks, 11 running backs, five receivers/tight ends and two offensive lineman) along with seven from the defensive side of the ball. Players from 35 different schools representing 11 conferences (including independents) are represented on the preseason watch list.

The 2022 watch list will be narrowed to 10 semi-finalists in mid-November.  The 2023 Walter Camp Player of the Year recipient will be announced on ESPN’s College Football Awards Show in December.  The winner will then receive his trophy at the Foundation’s 57th annual national awards banquet in New Haven, Connecticut, in early 2023. Appearing on the preseason Watch List is not a requirement for a player to win the Walter Camp award or be named to the All-America team.

The Walter Camp Football Foundation is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA). Founded in 1997, the NCFAA includes college football’s most prestigious awards and its 24 awards have honored more than 900 recipients dating back to 1935. This season, 12 NCFAA awards will honor national players of the week each Tuesday.

The Jayhawks open the 2023 season on Friday, September 1, taking on Missouri State at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. Season tickets, mini plans and non-conference single game tickets are on sale now for the 2023 Kansas football season. Mini plans are designed to allow fans to pick the games that work the best for them. During the purchasing process, fans have the option to add a premium seatback to their order for less than $8 per game. To purchase tickets, and for more information, please click here.

Furthermore, Sports Combo Passes for KU Students are also available for just $175. The pass includes access to both football and basketball tickets and can be purchased online through Enroll and Pay. For more information on student tickets, or to purchase today, click here.