When USC football named JT Daniels the winner of the quarterback competition, social media marveled at the true freshman’s rise to the starting job.
Sunday opened a new era for USC football: The JT Daniels Era.
The true freshman quarterback was named the Trojans’ starting quarterback to begin UNLV game week, ending a three-week battle between Daniels, Matt Fink and Jack Sears.
Naturally, Twitter had many things to say about Clay Helton’s decision, from congratulations by teammates to media fun facts and fan excitement.
Here’s a look at the best of the Twitter reaction:
OFFICIAL: @USCCoachHelton named true freshman @jtdaniels06 the USC starting quarterback. #FightOn pic.twitter.com/uA5j73BMDX
— USC Trojans (@USC_Athletics) August 27, 2018
A couple of guys who will be hoping to catch a bunch of passes from the new starter, tight end Tyler Petite and receiver Michael Pittman, were among the first to chime in.
Congrats young buck, let’s get to work!! @jtdaniels06 https://t.co/3sDVFnPjaP
— Tyler Petite (@TylerPetite) August 27, 2018
Congrats kid @jtdaniels06 https://t.co/GawzqwQ2Va
— MPJ (@MikePitt_Jr) August 27, 2018
Fellow Mater Dei alum and freshman starter Matt Barkley also extended his congratulations to Daniels.
Way to go JT! Tear it up \|/ ✌? https://t.co/o7fLthA3aI
— Matt Barkley (@MattBarkley) August 27, 2018
Per usual, the media had all sorts of tidbits and info to share on the subject of Daniels.
The only other true freshman quarterback to start a season opener for USC was Matt Barkley, also a Mater Dei grad, in 2009.
— Joey Kaufman (@joeyrkaufman) August 27, 2018
Fun fact: JT Daniels is the first 2000s-born USC starting quarterback.
— Joey Kaufman (@joeyrkaufman) August 27, 2018
Fun fact: Before JT Daniels, the last #USC QB to go by his first two initials and graduate high school a year early won two Rose Bowls.
— Reign of Troy (@ReignofTroy) August 27, 2018
(That’s John David Booty, for the record)
As many other people have tweeted, USC will start freshman QB JT Daniels in its opener vs UNLV on Sept. 1. From the limited time I spent at practice, this was the right decision.
— Dan Greenspan (@DanGreenspan) August 27, 2018
*a freshman who skipped his senior year of high school and didn’t enroll until a few weeks ago. https://t.co/ecblk8wkuC
— Ryan Phillips (@RumorsandRants) August 27, 2018
JT Daniels will be the 4th different Mater Dei QB to start at #USC in the last 15 years.
— Michael Castillo (@MichaelCastFS) August 27, 2018
First P5 QB since Brad Kaaya to win the starting job as true freshman, without enrolling early. Hope he starts year 0-3 ATS. https://t.co/exfcv8ppFD
— FranchiseKF (@FranchiseKF) August 27, 2018
No surprise here. JT Daniels is a special cat. https://t.co/vSwBKa9A8W
— Tom Loy (@TomLoy247) August 27, 2018
Not surprising JT Daniels is starting for USC. All reports from camp showed he was proving it from jump street. I covered his last HS game and he looked like a kid who’d play on Saturdays real soon. Keep an eye on him & fellow SC freshman Amon-Ra St. Brown.
— Evan Barnes〽️ (@evan_b) August 27, 2018
Surprising to no one. JT Daniels is the starter at USC... UNLV, then at Stanford and Texas. Tough back to back on the road for the true freshman. https://t.co/zkglKt9IAx
— Geoff Schwartz (@geoffschwartz) August 27, 2018
And of course, fans also got in on the social media action celebrating the quarterback decision.
Poll: Do you approve of #USC starting JT Daniels?
— Reign of Troy (@ReignofTroy) August 27, 2018
Holy landslide batman pic.twitter.com/biaq4uvQ7j
— Delvin Afusia (@AK_DMFA) August 27, 2018
@ReignofTroy when coach announces QB1 pic.twitter.com/ySl7Ncq5AL
— Taylor R. McKay (@TaylorRMcKay) August 27, 2018
https://twitter.com/nolimitmikey7/status/1033894878500073472
Knew it would be the case the second he signed his letter of intent. https://t.co/0uaBuHZ4x8
— Samuel Montgomery (@TrojanWarrior) August 27, 2018
Sounds like it is going to be a fun year... Trojans fans ... let’s just not get too crazy with hype. JT is great but still a freshman. There will be some growing pains.
— Rob Cuddy - Wishing You Tidings of Comfort & Joy (@Robservatory) August 27, 2018
Daniels now takes on the task of guiding a USC team which will be competing to defend their Pac-12 title from 2017.
The first step in that journey comes on Saturday when the Trojans will take on UNLV at the Coliseum. From there, the freshman will face a gauntlet, battling Stanford on the road before another massive road test against Texas.
There will be no time to breath after that, with a Friday night date with Washington State in Los Angeles. The next week the Trojans will go back on the road for their Pac-12 South opener against Khalil Tate’s Arizona.
If Daniels and the Trojans successfully navigate that stretch, the quarterback could be the latest in a line of young quarterbacks who proved age is no longer a barrier to success in college football.