In 2006, Chase Daniel started all 13 games as Missouri earned a berth in the Brut
Sun Bowl. He threw for 3,527 yards with a 63.5% completion rate and 28 touchdowns. Chase Daniel also set a school record for passing touchdowns in a game, racking up 5 scores in the season opener against Murray State. This was good enough for a Second Team All-Big 12 selection while he also was named to the First Team All-Academic Big 12 Team. Chase Daniel is also one of the 35 quarterbacks placed on the 2007 Manning Award watch list. The Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award named Chase Daniel a Finalist on November 19, 2007.
In 2007, Chase Daniel has improved even more stunningly, throwing for 4,170 yards with a 69.7% completion rate and 33 touchdowns, with only 10 interceptions in 13 games. Chase Daniel has also rushed for a net 284 yards and 3 touchdowns for a Total Offense of 36 touchdowns and 4,454 yards, almost 343 yards per game.
On November 27, 2007, the Big 12 named Chase Daniel the Offensive Player of the Year.
Chase Daniel is the first Missouri player to be named to that honor.
On December 5, 2007 Chase was invited by the Heisman Trophy Trust to go to New York City as one of four finalists. He eventually finished 4th in the Heisman Trophy voting with 425 points.
Chase Daniel garnered 25 first-place votes, 84 second-place votes, and 182 third-place votes. He became only the third Tiger to ever finish in the top-10. His fourth-place showing marks the second-highest finish in Heisman voting by a Tiger player, with Paul Christman the only one to finish higher (third in 1939). The winner was
Tim Tebow of Florida.
On Jan. 1, 2008, Missouri wrapped up a school-best 12-2 season with a 38-7 win over Arkansas in the Cotton Bowl. A week later, the Tigers were ranked No. 4 in the Associated Press' final poll - the highest final ranking in school history - and No. 5 in the ESPN/USA Today coaches' poll. Daniel also announced he was returning for his senior season after putting his name in with the NFL College Advisory Committee to receive feedback for the NFL Draft.
Missouri Tigers 2008
Give a Heisman finalist another shot at No. 1 with an easier schedule and what have you got? Chase Daniel with a chance to run the table. Even if tailback
Tony Temple (281 yards in the Cotton Bowl) loses his NCAA appeal for an extra year, the Tigers will be loaded. They will win one, if not both, of the tough road games against Nebraska and Texas.
2008 schedule
Aug. 30: Illinois (St. Louis)
Sept. 6: Southeast Missouri
Sept. 13: Nevada
Sept. 20: Buffalo
Sept. 27: open
Oct. 4: at Nebraska
Oct. 11: Oklahoma State
Oct. 18: at Texas
Oct. 25: Colorado
Nov. 1: at Baylor
Nov. 8: Kansas State
Nov. 15: at Iowa State
Nov. 28/29: Kansas (in KC)
The always excellent Web site Heisman Pundit handicaps the 2008 trophy race, putting Missouri’s Chase Daniel back among the top five.
2008 Heisman Trophy Race
Chase Daniel, Mizzou – Led Missouri to the number 1 ranking this past season. I’ll repeat, led Missouri to the #1 ranking this past season. He finished off this season with only 10 INTs to 33 TDs with an offense that was scouted by saying, “Come to Mizzou, we’re Division 1, I swear, you’ve probably seen us on the bottom of the Big XII for years”. If he stays he will improve.
Full Name : Chase Daniel