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Ex-Gopher slams Phillip Daniels for sudden transfer from Minnesota to Ohio State

Daniels will be heading back to his home state of Ohio.

Tony Liebert

Phillip Daniels
Phillip Daniels / Pic via: GopherFootball (X)
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Less than 48 hours after officially entering the transfer portal, now-former Gophers offensive lineman Phillip Daniels has committed to Ohio State.

Daniels started the final four regular season games in 2024 for Minnesota at right tackle. With Aireontae Ersery, Quinn Carroll and Tyler Cooper set to graduate, he was projected to be a building block on offensive line with three years of eligibility remaining.

As a native of Cincinnati, Ohio, Daniels will now play less than two hours from his hometown. It was reported by multiple sources that he visited Ohio State on Tuesday, but the quick timing of his commitment does raise some questions.

Former Gophers cornerback Coney Durr voiced his disgust about Daniels committing almost immediately after entering the portal. What's more is that Durr was responding to a post from Pioneer Press Gophers beat writer Andy Greder, who speculated that Ohio State may have tampered with Daniels before he entered the portal.

"This has to STOP[!]," Durr wrote. "Guy gets in transfer portal takes 0 visits and all of sudden is committed 2 days later. I hope Tennessee beats the sh** out of Ohio State.

Durr continued: Guy leaves a starting spot on Good Big Ten Team that just produced a First round Talent and lineman of the year. Kids don’t stand on no loyalty or morals anymore. They will soon realize real life doesn’t work like this [college football] simulation they live in."

This is likely not the first nor last time that it will look like a college football staff communicated with a player before entering the portal. Most power conference teams have probably tampered and if it happened with Daniels, it's hard to imagine it'll be the last time it affects the Gophers.

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Tony Liebert
TONY LIEBERT

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