LSU soccer is again to zero days with out incident.
Late Wednesday, ESPN’s Mark Schlabach reported that former LSU Tigers quarterback Jayden Daniels, the 2023 Heisman winner, issued a cease-and-desist letter to the college barring it from utilizing his title, picture and likeness after first-year coach Lane Kiffin OK’d cornerback D.J. Pickett’s swap to his No. 5 jersey.
The quantity hasn’t been in use since Daniels departed for the NFL, and a spokesman for the NFL’s 2024 Related Press Offensive Rookie of the Yr blasted the choice to reissue it.
“The Daniels household is deeply disenchanted and feels profoundly disrespected,” the assertion started.
“Jayden and his household had each motive to imagine that his quantity would stay a significant a part of his LSU legacy and can be honored and guarded in recognition of his extraordinary contributions to the college,” it continued.
Daniels started his collegiate profession with the Arizona State Sun Devils however developed into an elite NFL prospect at LSU, the place he began 26 video games between the 2022 and 2023 seasons. As a fifth-year senior in 2023, Daniels accomplished 72.2 p.c of his go makes an attempt for 3,812 yards, 40 touchdowns and 4 interceptions whereas including 1,134 speeding yards and 10 touchdowns on 135 carries. The Tigers led the nation in scoring (45.5 factors per sport), however a porous protection that allowed 28 factors per sport saved the crew from title rivalry, ending 10-3 and No. 12 within the last AP ballot.
Jayden Daniels, LSU at odds over his No. 5 jersey
The general public dispute is an unlucky growth and one solely of LSU’s making. Daniels is not issuing a wild demand by anticipating this system to respect his historic run, as an alternative solely wishing it adopted prior precedent. As Schlabach famous, this system’s different two former Heisman winners — operating again Billy Cannon (No. 20) and quarterback Joe Burrow (No. 9) — have not had their numbers reissued within the years since incomes the award.
Kiffin rationalized giving Daniels’ No. 5 to Pickett by saying it was “promised to him in recruiting” as a member of the 2025 high-school class, deflecting to LSU’s former teaching workers, led by coach Brian Kelly.
“When a child is promised one thing to come back to a college, he ought to put on it,” Kiffin continued.
That argument can be extra legitimate if Pickett was a real freshman, however Pickett is getting into his second season and was completely nice carrying No. 3 as a freshman. Per Schlabach, Kelly defined not giving the nook Daniels’ quantity as a result of he “wasn’t ready to do it till we acquired a full dedication from one other Heisman winner.”
“We did not need to situation No. 9, so you may’t deal with one in a different way from the opposite,” Kelly added.
Kiffin is solely choosing and selecting which elements of the outdated regime to honor and utilizing it as a defend. It was his selection, and he ought to personal it. Regardless, the state of affairs is a nasty look and one that would have simply been prevented. It additionally tells future recruits that their accomplishments won’t be precisely revered as soon as they depart for the professionals.
With out Daniels’ blessing, his No. 5 jersey ought to be off limits. LSU should not be alienating among the finest gamers in program historical past, and Kiffin’s choice has threatened to fracture that relationship.
It will be regrettable if the 2 sides cannot get on the identical web page. In any case, Daniels’ Heisman season will ceaselessly be a part of this system’s legacy. Realizing Kiffin’s historical past, he could depart for an additional job in 4 months.
