Notre Dame Football: Phillip Daniels
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — There were times when Phillip Daniels would exit the home locker room at Soldier Field and see his son, DaVaris, waiting outside in tears because the Chicago Bears lost. There were times when DaVaris would get so mad following defeat after defeat to Phillip in "Madden" that father eventually let son win.
"I never told him that, to this day -- he'll probably read about it now," Phillip, veteran of 15 NFL seasons, said with a laugh. "He'd win and jump to celebrate and I'd laugh at him. But when I beat him, man, I realized, I knew I couldn't win. My wife's like, 'Let him win.'
"I'm a competitor, too. I wanna win at everything. But every time we played I'd lead him in the fourth quarter and then let him win, but I never told him that."
Notre Dame is hoping that competitive nature from DaVaris Daniels translates to the field this fall, as he will have the chance to line up in one of the many spots that Michael Floyd occupied for the Irish the past four seasons. The big shoes to fill -- coupled with lofty praise from head coach Brian Kelly -- has increased expectations around the sophomore-to-be, a receiver who has yet to play a snap in college.
"I think we're all just kind of taking it one day at a time; this is a new offense with new players," Daniels said. "You can't really live up to what Floyd did in his years here in one year. Floyd was a great player, don't get me wrong — I could see why everybody was kind of freaking out about him leaving. But we've got good players here, somebody's gonna fill the void and we're all doing a good job so far this spring."
Daniels said he had been used all over the field through the first week of spring practice, and he said it was tough at first not playing during his freshman year, when he admitted he ran the wrong route on what seemed like "every other play."
His father said the year on the sideline was for the best, especially with a record-breaking wideout like Floyd ahead of his son. A Vernon Hills, Ill., native, the younger Daniels said he hopes Floyd, likely a first-round pick during next month's draft, ends up with the Bears.
"Floyd, the main thing that he said is you gotta work hard, and he's like the epitome of, anything that you thought working hard was, that's what he did," Daniels said. "That's what he left me with, that's a part of his game that I think I'm trying to develop into mine."
Phillip, now the Redskins' director of player development, echoed his son's sentiments that no one can replicate Floyd's body of work in one season, and he cautioned that his son and Floyd are different receivers with different body types. (Floyd was 6-3, 224.)
A former defensive end, Phillip stands 6-foot-5 and weighs more than 300 pounds. DaVaris, at 6-2 and 190, is thankful he does not line up on the same side of the field that his father did, for fear of his criticism.
DaVaris said he first beat his father in a race when he was 11 or 12. Phillip -- who played for the Redskins, Bears and Seahawks -- confessed to being the less athletic of the two, saying his son can run circles around him.
Irish offensive coordinator Chuck Martin said DaVaris passes the eyeball test and has the look of a future NFL player, joking that he wishes he had been cut from the same cloth.
"I'm still pissed at my dad when I look at DaVaris' dad," Martin cracked. " 'I love you, Dad, but you don't look like Phillip Daniels. I could've been somebody.' "
Kelly raved last week about Daniels' performances in team testing. The receiver said that he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.5 seconds, did 10 feet, 5 inches in the broad jump and jumped 38 inches in the vertical, though his father said DaVaris has jumped 41.5 inches in the vertical before.
"His numbers are off the charts," Kelly said. "In terms of vertical jump he tested comparable to a number of the wide receivers at the NFL combine. He's got great numbers. Now, those are numbers. He hasn't done anything. He hasn't caught a pass in a game, hasn't caught a touchdown pass.
"So we know he's got the physical ability. Now we've got to be able to see that translate, and it's time for him to do it. We were able to move him slowly last year, it's time for him to go, and this spring will be that opportunity, and we all feel very confident in his ability to come in and impact our offense."
Daniels was seen with the second-team receivers early in the Irish's first spring practice Wednesday, the first half-hour of which was open to reporters. A leg injury kept him out of practice Saturday, but both Kelly and Phillip said it was more of a precautionary measure, and he is expected back this week.
Learning all three receiver positions, Phillip said, will be crucial for DaVaris, who is looking to seize the opportunity this offseason and carve out a name -- among both Irish receivers and his family -- of his own.
"God-given ability, and he's an awesome kid," Martin said when asked what stands out about Daniels. "He's an awesome kid from an awesome family. He's a fun kid to be around. All the things that it takes to be a great one -- he might have it just naturally or we gotta get it out of him. He can run, he can jump, he can catch, he's smart. OK, I'll work with that guy."
"I never told him that, to this day -- he'll probably read about it now," Phillip, veteran of 15 NFL seasons, said with a laugh. "He'd win and jump to celebrate and I'd laugh at him. But when I beat him, man, I realized, I knew I couldn't win. My wife's like, 'Let him win.'
"I'm a competitor, too. I wanna win at everything. But every time we played I'd lead him in the fourth quarter and then let him win, but I never told him that."
Notre Dame is hoping that competitive nature from DaVaris Daniels translates to the field this fall, as he will have the chance to line up in one of the many spots that Michael Floyd occupied for the Irish the past four seasons. The big shoes to fill -- coupled with lofty praise from head coach Brian Kelly -- has increased expectations around the sophomore-to-be, a receiver who has yet to play a snap in college.
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AP Photo/Cal Sport MediaExpectations are high for DaVaris Daniels before the sophomore has even played a down.
AP Photo/Cal Sport MediaExpectations are high for DaVaris Daniels before the sophomore has even played a down.Daniels said he had been used all over the field through the first week of spring practice, and he said it was tough at first not playing during his freshman year, when he admitted he ran the wrong route on what seemed like "every other play."
His father said the year on the sideline was for the best, especially with a record-breaking wideout like Floyd ahead of his son. A Vernon Hills, Ill., native, the younger Daniels said he hopes Floyd, likely a first-round pick during next month's draft, ends up with the Bears.
"Floyd, the main thing that he said is you gotta work hard, and he's like the epitome of, anything that you thought working hard was, that's what he did," Daniels said. "That's what he left me with, that's a part of his game that I think I'm trying to develop into mine."
Phillip, now the Redskins' director of player development, echoed his son's sentiments that no one can replicate Floyd's body of work in one season, and he cautioned that his son and Floyd are different receivers with different body types. (Floyd was 6-3, 224.)
A former defensive end, Phillip stands 6-foot-5 and weighs more than 300 pounds. DaVaris, at 6-2 and 190, is thankful he does not line up on the same side of the field that his father did, for fear of his criticism.
DaVaris said he first beat his father in a race when he was 11 or 12. Phillip -- who played for the Redskins, Bears and Seahawks -- confessed to being the less athletic of the two, saying his son can run circles around him.
Irish offensive coordinator Chuck Martin said DaVaris passes the eyeball test and has the look of a future NFL player, joking that he wishes he had been cut from the same cloth.
"I'm still pissed at my dad when I look at DaVaris' dad," Martin cracked. " 'I love you, Dad, but you don't look like Phillip Daniels. I could've been somebody.' "
Kelly raved last week about Daniels' performances in team testing. The receiver said that he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.5 seconds, did 10 feet, 5 inches in the broad jump and jumped 38 inches in the vertical, though his father said DaVaris has jumped 41.5 inches in the vertical before.
"His numbers are off the charts," Kelly said. "In terms of vertical jump he tested comparable to a number of the wide receivers at the NFL combine. He's got great numbers. Now, those are numbers. He hasn't done anything. He hasn't caught a pass in a game, hasn't caught a touchdown pass.
"So we know he's got the physical ability. Now we've got to be able to see that translate, and it's time for him to do it. We were able to move him slowly last year, it's time for him to go, and this spring will be that opportunity, and we all feel very confident in his ability to come in and impact our offense."
Daniels was seen with the second-team receivers early in the Irish's first spring practice Wednesday, the first half-hour of which was open to reporters. A leg injury kept him out of practice Saturday, but both Kelly and Phillip said it was more of a precautionary measure, and he is expected back this week.
Learning all three receiver positions, Phillip said, will be crucial for DaVaris, who is looking to seize the opportunity this offseason and carve out a name -- among both Irish receivers and his family -- of his own.
"God-given ability, and he's an awesome kid," Martin said when asked what stands out about Daniels. "He's an awesome kid from an awesome family. He's a fun kid to be around. All the things that it takes to be a great one -- he might have it just naturally or we gotta get it out of him. He can run, he can jump, he can catch, he's smart. OK, I'll work with that guy."
Our series continues today with wide receiver, where Notre Dame looks to replace arguably the best to ever play the position in blue and gold.
OUT: Michael Floyd. Floyd rewrote the record books during his time in South Bend, Ind. He finished his senior season with 100 catches for 1,147 yards and nine touchdowns, none more impressive than his final grab, a 5-yard score in the Champs Sports Bowl that he juggled while absorbing a pair of hits from Florida State defenders. Those blows knocked him out of the game and several ensuing pre-draft showcases with an upper body injury. All healthy now — and with the troubles from three alcohol-related brushes with the law seemingly behind him — Floyd will likely hear his name called on the first day of the NFL draft following a Notre Dame career that featured school records in receptions (271), touchdown receptions (37) and receiving yards (3,686). He was also the team's 10th two-time MVP.
IN: DaVaris Daniels, Justin Ferguson. It would be unreasonable to expect anyone to perform to the standard of someone with multiple school records, let alone expect someone who has never played a down of college football to do it. But Daniels, who redshirted as a freshman, and Ferguson, an incoming recruit, certainly have the tools to earn significant playing time early in 2012. The 6-foot-2, 185-pound Daniels, the son of former NFL defensive end Phillip Daniels, was one of the top players in the state of Illinois and an Under Armour All-American while at Vernon Hills High School. Ferguson, a 6-foot-2, 205-pounder from Flanagan (Fla.) High School, was ESPNU's 85th-best player in the Class of 2012. The loss of Deontay Greenberry to Houston on national signing day hurts this unit, which could have used the four-star prospect's explosiveness early on.
OUT: Michael Floyd. Floyd rewrote the record books during his time in South Bend, Ind. He finished his senior season with 100 catches for 1,147 yards and nine touchdowns, none more impressive than his final grab, a 5-yard score in the Champs Sports Bowl that he juggled while absorbing a pair of hits from Florida State defenders. Those blows knocked him out of the game and several ensuing pre-draft showcases with an upper body injury. All healthy now — and with the troubles from three alcohol-related brushes with the law seemingly behind him — Floyd will likely hear his name called on the first day of the NFL draft following a Notre Dame career that featured school records in receptions (271), touchdown receptions (37) and receiving yards (3,686). He was also the team's 10th two-time MVP.
IN: DaVaris Daniels, Justin Ferguson. It would be unreasonable to expect anyone to perform to the standard of someone with multiple school records, let alone expect someone who has never played a down of college football to do it. But Daniels, who redshirted as a freshman, and Ferguson, an incoming recruit, certainly have the tools to earn significant playing time early in 2012. The 6-foot-2, 185-pound Daniels, the son of former NFL defensive end Phillip Daniels, was one of the top players in the state of Illinois and an Under Armour All-American while at Vernon Hills High School. Ferguson, a 6-foot-2, 205-pounder from Flanagan (Fla.) High School, was ESPNU's 85th-best player in the Class of 2012. The loss of Deontay Greenberry to Houston on national signing day hurts this unit, which could have used the four-star prospect's explosiveness early on.
Daniels to lead Skins player development
February, 22, 2012
Feb 22
3:00
PM ET
By
Matt Fortuna | ESPN.com
Apologies for being a few days late with this, but the Washington Redskins hired former player Phillip Daniels as their new director of player development Friday.
Daniels played 15 NFL seasons, the last seven with the Redskins.
More importantly, at least for Notre Dame fans, he is the father of Irish wide receiver DaVaris Daniels, who redshirted this past season.
Daniels played 15 NFL seasons, the last seven with the Redskins.
More importantly, at least for Notre Dame fans, he is the father of Irish wide receiver DaVaris Daniels, who redshirted this past season.
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ABOUT THIS BLOG
Matt Fortuna
Fortuna joined ESPN.com in 2011 after working for MLB.com and the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, where he covered college sports. He grew up in New York and is a Penn State graduate.
