CHESAPEAKE, Va. (WTKR) — There was an excitement in the air as Norfolk State hosted its annual Fan Fest at Dick's House of Sport on Sunday.
A new season gets underway for the green and gold in six days with plenty of new hopes.
When the Spartans kick off the 2024 campaign, they'll do so with a new starting quarterback under center. Transfer Jalen Daniels was named QB1 by head coach Dawson Odums on Sunday after a competition with last year's starter Otto Kuhns.
"Just consistency, decision-making, and just doing things the right way," Odums said. "Just having a calmness about him, even-keeled whether something good or bad happens. Understanding that the position is more than just the quarterback position."
Daniels started his career off as a walk-on in South Carolina before moving on to Garden City Community College. He played in eight games for the Broncbusters in 2023, throwing for 1,282 yards with nine touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
"I’m a guy that wants to win,” Daniels said. “I don’t try and do too much, just trust my guys, trust the play-calling, the offense. Definitely just a winner."
The Arizona native steps into an offense led by new coordinator Jason Phillips that scored 24 points per game last year and is aiming to take a step up in 2024.
"I'm good to adapt. I had quite a few conversations with Coach Phillips and he saw what I could do well," Daniels said. "I talked to him about what I'm comfortable with and he does a great job getting me in that groove and that mode."
Kuhns, who's played in 19 games throughout his two seasons in the green and gold, will have to sit the first four games because of an NCAA ruling. When he returns, Odums said the senior will be in the running for the QB2 spot.
"It comes from so many hours that you have to pass the previous season," the head coach said. "We did some things to try to put him in a position to see if that could get reduced and it didn't happen for him. At the end of the day, he understands it and he understands it."
Norfolk State starts the season with a neutral site game against Florida A&M on Saturday in Atlanta. The game will be televised nationally on ABC, something Daniels saw during his time in Columbia and remembers how the Gamecocks handled the country-wide spotlight.
"The big thing is to not to make it a big thing," he said. "We don't take it for granted. We're definitely appreciative, it's a great opportunity but just knowing that we're going to go out there and play our game. Not make anything too big or too small."
