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Pete Thamel, ESPN
Kansas star quarterback Jalon Daniels is expected to play against Illinois on Friday night after missing the season opener against Missouri State because of tightness in his back, a source told ESPN.
The staff still has not determined if Daniels or backup Jason Bean will start against Illinois, per a source. Daniels is the Big 12 Preseason Offensive Player of the Year.
Daniels took a significant amount of snaps in practice for Kansas this week, per a source, and his situation has improved. The back tightness limited his reps during training camp and led the staff to sit him for Kansas’ opener.
Daniels was one of the breakout stars of the 2022 season, as he led Kansas to a 5-0 start before a shoulder injury against TCU sidelined him for four games. In nine games last season, Daniels threw for 2,014 yards, 18 touchdowns and ran for 7 touchdowns and 425 yards.
The home game for Kansas marks a huge opportunity for the Jayhawks to continue the momentum they showed in 2022, as they were ranked for the first time since 2009 and finished 6-7 after a loss in the Liberty Bowl.
Bean has started 14 games for the Jayhawks — nine in 2021, four last season and the opener in 2023. Bean has both experience and production, as he’s thrown for 22 touchdowns and more than 1,500 yards during his time at Kansas. He played well in the 48-17 win over Missouri State, completing 22 of 28 passes for 276 yards and two touchdowns.
The Illinois game on Friday night is on ESPN2 (7:30 ET) and is a huge table-setter for the 2023 season for two teams coming off breakthrough 2022 seasons. For Illinois, a win would mean it’d host Penn State as an undefeated team in Week 3, making it one of the biggest home games in recent history there.