Successful start for Daniel

Chase Daniel stepped out onto Faurot Field for the first time as the Tigers’ starting quarterback.

He didn’t stop to soak in the moment. Didn’t pause for reflection about what it meant to officially be the top guy. He didn’t look for the throngs of people in No. 10 jerseys in the stands, all staring at him and eagerly waiting to see how Missouri’s first new starting quarterback in four years would perform.

Of course, those thoughts never dawned on Daniel. Thoughts like those usually don’t occur when you’re playing at home against a Division I-AA opponent with 39 freshmen on the roster.

Regardless of the opponent, the now Daniel-led Tigers made a good first impression in defeating Murray State, 47-7, on Saturday night in their opening game of the season.

The much-anticipated debut of Daniel in the starting role went pretty much as he expected it to. Exiting the game midway through the fourth quarter, Daniel finished the blowout going 23-32 for 320 yards and a single-game school-record five touchdowns.

“What better way to start than that?” said Daniel, who added that he had to make 14 or 15 calls to friends and family after his first start.

Nerves weren’t a problem for Daniel. Instead, the anticipation that came with sitting around in his room waiting to go to the stadium was his biggest problem with the day.

It didn’t show once the game started.

Playing crisp and efficient against an obviously overmatched opponent, Daniel methodically led the Tigers to touchdowns on four of their first five drives. With Daniel’s consistent talks after two-a-days filled with swagger about how he wants perfection out of the offense he leads, he backed it up by completing his first eight passes, two of which were touchdowns.

“I’m not surprised,” said wide receiver Will Franklin of Daniel’s performance. “Not with the athletes we have. Chase is a great quarterback.”

And if Daniel can perform even close to the level he did on Saturday against the mostly quality opponents on the rest of Missouri’s schedule, those questions about filling Brad Smith’s shoes will subside quicker than any of Smith’s highlight-reel touchdowns.

Entering the game, the single-game Missouri record for touchdowns thrown in one game was four, held by four quarterbacks including Smith. Showing off his passing skills, and taking advantage of the helpless Racer defense, Daniel threw his fourth touchdown late in the second quarter.

He set the record in the fourth with a 35-yard touchdown pass to freshman Jared Perry early in the fourth.

For anyone keeping score at home that’s one record down, 68 to go. Daniel said he had no idea he broke a school record in his first start.

Missouri coach Gary Pinkel chose to look at Daniel’s night as a whole.

“I think we saw glimpses of a guy that has a lot of ability,” Pinkel said.

But Pinkel and Daniel weren’t pleased with the way Daniel played in the third. Pinkel said Daniel lost focus at times, which has also been a problem in practice.

“His reaction time, well, we have to speed that up a little bit,” Pinkel said.

Daniel played all the way into the middle of the fourth quarter before being pulled.

Despite spreading the ball to nine different receivers, it appears Daniel already has a favorite target in the young season. Continuing the strong connection they made in camp, Daniel hooked up with Franklin, for four catches, 138 yards and two touchdowns.

“That’s just something that we’ve practiced in trying to make a move quickly,” Franklin said of his first touchdown. “Chase led me to where I could make a play.”

Franklin’s numbers could have been even better, but he and Daniel barely missed on two long passes that would have easily gone for touchdowns had they stayed in the hands of Franklin.

Still, Franklin’s ability to quickly break away from his Division I-AA counterparts is just a small microcosm of the ability he’s shown this season. Playing in small amounts as a freshman and not being totally involved in the offense as a sophomore, Franklin recommitted himself to the weight room and his conditioning during the off-season. The result has been his coaches and teammates raving about how hard he’s worked to improve.

“Will’s gotten a lot better because he’s got a great attitude and because of his work ethic,” Pinkel said. “He’s upgraded his game.”

Not that the Tigers especially needed it against the Racers. However, on a day filled with close games too close for comfort for various Big 12 teams, including Colorado getting burned at home by Montana State, the Tigers made sure to take care of business and not get caught looking ahead to next week against Ole Miss.

“Nothing against Murray State, they’re a great team,” Daniel said. “But you saw Colorado get beat. We’ve just got to go in and take it one game at a time.”