USC QB JT Daniels enters transfer portal, Clay Helton says he could return
JT Daniels’ time at USC could be coming to an end.
The program announced Thursday that Daniels, the heralded five-star quarterback, has opted to enter the transfer portal. Daniels, hailed as a possible program savior for the Trojans, immediately became the team’s starter in 2018 as a true freshman.
However, Daniels suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 1 of the 2019 season, opening the door for another freshman, Kedon Slovis, to emerge as a star in the Pac-12.
USC head coach Clay Helton said in a statement that Daniels is going to explore his options but could opt to stay with the Trojans.
“We have been working with JT and his family, as well as our compliance office, to help him navigate the process of entering his name in the transfer portal,” Helton said. “It is his desire to explore all of his options going into the 2020 season. We will continue to support JT in every way possible and help him through his decision, including the option of staying on with our football team. JT is a terrific person, student, player and valued member of our football family.”
Daniels issued a statement of his own to USCScoop.com:
“I love this university, coaching staff, and team. To me it is in my best interest to explore all my options going into the 2020 season. I will remain in contact with the coaching staff through the process. USC remains one of my options, and that door has remained open for me. Fight On!”
Daniels, a southern California native, was the No. 4 overall recruit in the country in the class of 2018. Originally a 2019 recruit, Daniels graduated high school early in order to arrive on USC’s campus ahead of the 2018 season.
Daniels quickly earned the starting nod and ended up throwing for 2,672 yards, 14 touchdowns and 10 interceptions while completing 59.5 percent of his passes. It was a rough season for the Trojans, who finished 5-7, the program’s first losing record since 2000. However, with so much talent returning, then-athletic director Lynn Swann surprisingly chose to bring Helton back for 2019.
Daniels kept his starting job to open the 2019 season, but went down with a serious knee injury in the season-opener against Fresno State. Daniels’ injury presented an opportunity for Slovis, an unheralded three-star recruit from Arizona, to assume the starting job. Slovis, with USC employing a new pass-happy offense with coordinator Graham Harrell, thrived. He threw for 3,502 yards, 30 touchdowns and just nine interceptions as the Trojans went 8-5.
With Daniels returning to health, he and Slovis were poised to compete for the starting role entering 2020. Now it appears that Slovis will be the man moving forward with Daniels surely to be a hot commodity on the transfer market.
Daniels, should he transfer, will have three seasons of eligibility wherever he lands. And if the NCAA changes the one-time transfer rule in the coming months, Daniels could be eligible immediately at a new school in 2020.
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