The most competitive division in college football got a little more competitive Sunday when LSU announced the addition of Arizona State transfer quarterback Jayden Daniels. A three-year starter in Tempe, Daniels has thrown for 6,025 yards and 32 touchdowns against 13 interceptions in his career.
At worst, Daniels makes the Tigers’ QB situation more interesting this spring. At best, he’s a major upgrade over the injury-plagued Myles Brennan and true freshman Walker Howard.
It’s an addition that alters the texture of Brian Kelly’s first season in Baton Rouge. Expand the scope of the move outward, it may change the shape of the SEC as a whole. This is not to say Daniels vaults LSU into contention with Georgia and Alabama. Instead, the move is a window into the literal and figurative arms race to catch up with those two powerhouses, who account for six of the last 10 national title appearances.
Almost anyone in the SEC with even a puncher’s chance to compete with those two is rolling with a transfer QB. In fact, eight of the 12 remaining teams in the conference are projected to start (or have at least added) a transfer signal caller.
