One of the most bizarre preseason college football stories has been the LSU-Jayden Daniels controversy. It has not only become a highly covered story, but it also sparked one of the most popular memes on social media.
Everywhere you turn, there is a new jab or mocking of Daniels and his disgruntled outlook toward LSU over the number five. LSU, of course, gave that number to a highly touted recruit, apparently upsetting Daniels and his family. The debacle has caught the attention of a lot of prominent analysts, including ESPN’s Paul Finebaum. Finebaum joined a local Washington, D.C., radio show and didn’t hold back about Daniels’ antics.
“I want to say one thing because I’m not an equivocator, but I got to know Jayden when he was at LSU … I really liked him, talked to him a lot, and I would interview Brian Kelly. Even when he went to the Commanders, there was a great sense of pride in what he did the first year. I say all that to say this: He’s lost all of that from everywhere and everyone in LSU Nation after what happened this week,” Finebaum said.
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“I’ve rarely, if ever, seen a dumber, more senseless move. I don’t know who pulled the strings, but all the ‘clean up on aisle 3’ from Jayden Daniels from this moment on will not be enough. He has made a terrible mistake. He can be successful in Washington. I hope he is. But I would advise him to never waste another second in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, because they are done with him.”
Did Daniels burn a bridge with LSU?
Finebaum’s assessment may sound extreme, but there is little doubt Daniels has damaged his relationship with LSU. The Tigers helped revive his college football career after he transferred from Arizona State. Daniels went on to win the Heisman Trophy in Baton Rouge.
That history makes the current controversy especially surprising. Still, bridges can be repaired. If Daniels eventually takes responsibility, clears the air, and stops the public back-and-forth, time could soften the situation.
For now, though, Finebaum’s point is understandable. Daniels does not need LSU to have a successful NFL career, but the goodwill he built in Baton Rouge appears to have taken a significant hit.