B.J. Daniels Silencing Critics, So Far

So far, Daniels is playing at a different level this season.

Last season, like many fans, I was critical of B.J. Daniels. Late in the season, as he continued to throw interceptions and mis-read the offense, I was one of the fans that was calling for something to change, whether it was Eveld, Gunsby (when he was here), or a play-calling change, just something.

So far this season (just 3 games of course) I am starting to eat my words and for good reason. B.J. Daniels, in his second consecutive season with Todd Fitch, is simply lighting it up on the stat sheet and leading the Bulls to big wins.

Daniels threw for 382 yards in the beat down of FAMU, setting a new personal record just a week after he beat up Ball State for 359 yards.

So far this season, he is 67 of 100 for 869 yards, including 6 touchdowns and just one interception.

While it is still too early to say Daniels has finally put it all together after a rough 2010 season, it is refreshing to see him playing well so far this season, moving the offense, racking up the yards, and simply smiling again.

Daniels was frustrated all last season, not knowing the playbook and not having the most experienced and reliable targets down the field. This season, with better understanding of the offense, more weapons and a calmness from Holtz, Daniels is firing away.

Maybe the new up-tempo offense is helping him as well. Daniels is making his reads faster, not sitting in the pocket and getting the ball out quickly. This helps simplify the plays for him. He is also reading the field better. On Saturday, he simply threw a FAMU player off of him, rolled out of the pocket, but kept his eyes down the field, finding his receiver. The old Daniels would have tried to run the ball there for a minimal gain and could have injured himself in the process. The new Daniels seems to simply be on a different level right now.

Daniels doesn't have to put up video game numbers throughout the season and will come back down to earth at some point, but as long as he continues to fire to our receivers, move the offense and get touchdowns instead of interceptions, I will continue to eat my words and be happy to.