Longhorns Game-Planning For 'Real Dual Threat' QB Jalon Daniels

The Texas Longhorns held Kansas Jayhawks quarterback Jalon Daniels to 12 yards on two carries.

Kansas Jayhawks quarterback Jalon Daniels put the entire country on notice when he went toe-to-toe in three overtimes against the Arkansas Razorbacks in last year's Liberty Bowl.

Daniels threw for 544 yards and five touchdowns, but that was just one data point in a dominant season in which he threw for over 2,000 yards, 18 touchdowns and four interceptions with a top-20 quarterback rating in the Football Bowl Subdivision. The Preseason Big 12 Player of the Year isn't just a threat through the air, though.

“He’s a real dual threat. We think about his runs, but he also throws the ball all over the place," No. 3 Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian said. ”He taxes you both ways. It's not like you can have a guy be a scout team quarterback that's a runner. You have to have the ability to throw it to give the defense a realistic about what they're going to be up against."

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Daniels missed the season opener against Montana State with a back injury but has played the previous three and led the No. 24 Jayhawks to victories over Illinois, Nevada and BYU.

The Lawndale, California, native is on pace for a career-best passing season, averaging 235 yards per game on a 74.7 completion percentage. Daniels' touchdown-to-interception ratio is currently 5-1.

Daniels isn't off to the same start on the ground compared to last year, where he ran for 425 yards and seven touchdowns. This season on 27 carries, Daniels has ran for 74 yards.

However, he is at his best when he's able to escape the pocket and extend plays — much like Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Jalen Milroe.

The Longhorns made it a point for him to throw from the pocket, limiting Milroe to 44 yards on 15 carries. He completed a season-low 51.9 percent of his 27 pass attempts for 255 yards, two touchdowns and a pair of interceptions.

Texas has had about as good of a start to its season from its defensive line as it could've asked for, as T'Vondre Sweat, Byron Murphy II, Barryn Sorrell, and Ethan Burke have accounted for 11 of the Longhorns' 27 tackles for loss.

Defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski and Jeff Choate could have Jaylan Ford spy Daniels to make sure he doesn't beat Texas with his legs.

The Longhorns and the Jayhawks kick off Saturday at 2:30 p.m. on ABC.