QB Daniels leading Mt. Lebanon to new heights
There will be top-tier talent all over the field Friday night when two-time defending WPIAL champion Central Catholic meets undefeated Mt. Lebanon in a highly anticipated showdown between the top teams in Class 6A.
The Vikings are loaded with future Power Five players, and the Blue Devils feature the ultra-talented duo of running back Alex Tecza and wide receiver Eli Heidenreich, both future FBS players. But among all the stars taking the field on Friday, there’s one hidden gem who seems to be getting overlooked despite playing the most important position on the field — Mt. Lebanon quarterback Joey Daniels.
Daniels, a 5-foot-9, 175-pound senior and three-year starter, has heard from the doubters all his life. He knows he doesn’t fit the mold of a prototypical quarterback at the college level, let alone in high school. But Daniels hasn’t let that stop him from playing at an extremely high level year after year since taking over as the Blue Devils starter in 2019.
“I feel like I’ve been doubted really my whole life,” Daniels said. “I don’t really think people thought I would have success like this. I think at the end of the day, whatever people have said about me, good or bad, I just want to prove it to myself that I truly believe that I can go out there and prove people wrong.”
Last week, Daniels picked up one of the biggest wins of his career when he picked apart the North Allegheny defense for 164 yards and three touchdowns on 12 of 17 attempts, also adding a rushing touchdown in a commanding 51-20 win. The last time the Blue Devils defeated the Tigers was all the way back in 2005.
With Central Catholic and North Allegheny having dominated the WPIAL’s largest classification for much of the past decade, many wondered if this was finally the year for Mt. Lebanon to crash the party — and that certainly seems to be the case.
“It’s definitely a great feeling to be able to beat a team like NA, and especially put up 50 points on them,” Daniels said. “As great as it feels, we need to get ready for Central. I think this game showed we can hang with anybody.”
As a sophomore, Daniels completed 77 of 141 passes for 1,307 yards, 16 touchdowns and six interceptions while guiding Mt. Lebanon to a 7-5 record in Bob Palko’s first year as coach. He then took his game to another level while playing only seven games during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, completing 60 of 87 passes for 913 yards and 14 touchdowns with only one interception.
While guiding Mt. Lebanon to a 6-0 start in 2021, Daniels has completed 45 of 77 passes for 935 yards with 14 touchdowns and three interceptions. He has also added 198 rushing yards and four scores on the ground, adding another dimension to his game while still maintaining his reputation as a pinpoint pocket passer.
“Honestly, I’m just so proud of the way in which he’s handled his business and conducted his business and how he’s leading,” Palko said. “You can tell, that’s seasoning. He’s seasoned. Nothing really and truly is going to happen that he’s not prepared for.”
Although Daniels was never much of a scrambler as a sophomore or junior, he was far from a statue inside the pocket. Also a starting center fielder for the Blue Devils baseball team, Daniels has underrated quickness and is adept at extending plays with his legs while keeping his eyes downfield on his receivers.
“You can see that his pocket presence is different already,” Palko said. “That comes with reps and time and patience and watching film and preparing your body.”
That improvability in the pocket combined with his rocket for a right arm have led to some big-play connections with Heidenreich, his top receiver who is averaging more than 30 yards per catch with 10 touchdowns on 19 receptions.
So far, despite his impressive numbers and winning ways, Daniels holds only one scholarship offer, from Division II Wheeling (W.Va.). He said some Ivy League and Patriot League schools are showing interest, but he doesn’t yet know if schools are recruiting him to play quarterback or another position.
For now, though, the perceived lack of offers and the uncertainty surrounding his future are the last things on Daniels’ mind. With the offense playing like a juggernaut and the defense performing at an elite level, Daniels and his fellow senior teammates have only one goal in mind — finishing out their last ride together in style while trying to bring Mt. Lebanon its first WPIAL championship in more than two decades.
“I don’t think it’s really set in yet that time is really coming down on this one,” Daniels said. “I’ve built such a great bond with all these guys on the team. … I hope whatever happens at the end of the year, we’re all still brothers at the end of the day.”