“At times, I do pull out some crafty words,” he said. “I’m known for that, I guess. I think a healthy vocabulary is necessary in order to better yourself.”
On the field, however, his actions speak louder than any sentences he constructs.
With the obscene combination of world-class speed and lineman-type strength, Daniels has a legitimate chance to score every time he touches the ball.
In last week’s season opener - a 51-19 thrashing of No. 12 Christopher Newport (Va.) - he churned out 158 yards and two touchdowns on 10 carries. It’s a performance he’ll try to duplicate or improve on when No. 3 UMHB hosts Sul Ross State in an American Southwest Conference opener at 1 p.m. Saturday at Tiger Field.
Crusaders coach Pete Fredenburg once said of Daniels, “He’ll dazzle you with his verbiage.” But that’s only if you can catch the 5-8, 190-pound dynamo.
After all, Daniels runs a 4.28-second 40-yard dash - the fastest time at this year’s NFL Draft Combine was 4.30 - and is the Crusaders’ second-strongest player.
“Quincy is a guy who needs to have the ball in his hands 20 times, and I think he was only in the game for 20 snaps last week,” Fredenburg said. “We have to find ways to get him the ball.”
Daniels almost never picked up a football to begin with.
He spent the first 13 years of his life in Houston before moving to Belton prior to eighth grade and never played any organized sports until he started junior high school.
“My parents were always working, so I never really had an opportunity to be in little leagues,” Daniels said. “A lot of athletes have been amazing since they were little. It took me a while to get to where I was even decent.
“I never really had anyone playing catch with me or showing me how to do things. It took me until ninth or 10th grade to get comfortable.”
Ever since then, he has made things uncomfortable for opponents. In his senior year at Belton, he rushed for 1,738 yards despite being the focus of opposing defenses while playing for a 4-6 Tigers team.
With the Crusaders, Daniels no longer is saddled with the role of being his team’s only playmaker. In fact, he’s the backup to senior preseason All-American Jarvis Thrasher from Temple.
“The difference here is that you’re surrounded by good athletes, so you don’t have to worry about someone making plays,” Daniels said. “I feel like if I don’t make a play, somebody else will and we’ll still have a chance to win.
“My goal is to always to make a play, but I don’t feel the pressure as I did in high school. In high school, I felt like I had to be the one to make the plays or nobody else would and we would lose.”
With his natural talents, Daniels certainly is capable of making plays. His scoring runs last week went for 35 and 79 yards, the longer of which was an all-out sprint down the left sideline that made defenders appear as if they were moving in slow-motion.
“I don’t know if I’m necessarily faster now than I was in high school,” said Daniels, who has aspirations of being a lawyer. “It’s just that I have a better understanding of our offense and of opposing defenses. If you’re more sure of something, you make quicker decisions. So maybe I just look faster.”
It’s hard to argue with that. Case closed.
edrennan@temple-telegram.com
