Daniels finally plays fast and fearless and it's a welcome sight to behold

Jayden Daniels’ mental blindfold finally disappeared Saturday.

It took his seventh start as LSU’s quarterback to see the light as well as open receivers and not-so-open receivers and he didn’t really care either way.

Because finally, finally, FINALLY, the wiry Arizona State transfer trusted his eyes, his receivers and his throwing arm and showed what the Tigers’ offense can truly be the rest of the year.

He rocketed throws into tight windows, even when his receivers had defensive backs glued to them. He fired laser beams to open spots where he correctly assumed pass-catchers would break open. He lofted passes and dropped deep dimes. He hurled rising fastballs so he his receivers could jump and make plays.

When his last pass had been thrown in a 45-35 LSU SEC road win at Florida, Daniels completed 23 (to nine different receivers) of 32 passes for 349 yards and three TDs and added 44 rushing yards and three TDs.

In becoming the first player in LSU history to have at least 3 rushing TDs and 3 passing TDs in regulation, Daniels, for at least this football Saturday, seemed like he turned the corner towards becoming a complete quarterback.

“It's been a process of him being more confident and comfortable within the offensive structure and knowing where people are,” LSU first-year head coach Brian Kelly said of Daniels. “Assertiveness is confidence in who you're throwing to and confidence in yourself.

"And I think you're seeing that just happen through the relationships he's building with just players on the team. He's new to this group., I just think that's just the maturation that's occurred.”

Yes, it helped that Florida’s defense showed clearly why it entered the game 12th in the SEC in total defense.

The Gators’ D-linemen rarely got a hand on Daniels, even when his pass protection decided to take mini-siestas. And just about every battle on 50/50 balls thrown by Daniels were ripped away by aggressive LSU receivers.

"I liked the rhythm we had and we were just having fun," said Daniels, who was 8 of 9 for 173 passing yards on third downs with six of his third-down completions for first downs.

It also certainly helped Daniels that for the first time this season, there were few drops (just two) by LSU receivers. Maybe their concentration was better once they saw Daniels wasn’t hesitating and holding the ball too long while searching for opening pass-catchers.

“The receivers played at a level that I think they're capable of,” Kelly said.

Especially the much-heralded Kayshon Boutte, who seemed fully engaged from start to finish for the first time this season.

There were hints Boutte, a projected top five NFL pick in the 2023 draft, was coming out of his early season funk in last Saturday’s 40-13 loss to then-No. 8 Tennessee. He had 6 catches in 8 targets for 33 yards against the Vols including his first TD reception of the season.

In LSU’s opening drive against Florida, Boutte had two catches (one for a successful third-down conversion) for 54 yards. His second catch for 14 yards that set up a fourth-and-one at the Florida 13 was made racing toward the sideline looking for a scrambling Daniels who fastballed a pass to Boutte between two fast closing defensive backs who blasted him.

“I made him a game day captain and you could just see that intensity pickup,” Kelly said of Boutte. “I don't know that that was the reason for it, but he played fast.

“I made him a game day captain because of the way he practiced this week. He, by far, set the standard in terms of how he went to practice and it showed in the way he played.

“He was faster than anybody. He broke tackles. He was a difference maker. If he plays at that level, we're a different football team.”

Now, the question shifts to whether Daniels, Boutte and company repeat that performance against Ole Miss next Saturday in Tiger Stadium. The Rebels, like Tennessee, will come to Baton Rouge as an undefeated top 10 ranked team.

LSU, 5-2 overall and 3-1 in the SEC West, will need all offensive hands on deck to keep pace with the Rebels. Ole Miss maybe isn’t as explosive as the Vols, yet it seems to get its points in bunches.

It’s likely LSU won’t score TDs on its first six possessions of any game the rest of this season. But for Kelly, it must be a relief to know his team can do it when Daniels and his receivers play fast and fearless.