Through his first year in the Southeastern Conference, LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels said he learned the “grueling” nature of the schedule. Each week features an elite team or a hostile environment, sometimes both.

If the change from the Pac-12 and Arizona State hindered his ability, Daniels did a good job of hiding it. He scored 28 touchdowns and reached the SEC championship. In 2023, through eight games, Daniels has totaled 30 touchdowns.

His comfort level has been on full display and Alabama head coach Nick Saban has been among the many who’ve noticed.

“They’re the number one offensive team in the country and it starts with the quarterback, Jayden Daniels,” Saban said Monday. “I mean this guy is a phenomenal player.

“He killed us last year. … I think overall they execute their offense to perfection and it starts with him because he makes the right reads relative to runs and passes and zone option plays and pass down plays. He’s very good at reading coverages, makes really quick decisions. All those things were evident last year by the way he played and I think he’s probably even better now because he has even more experience and knowledge in the offense and they’ve got really good players around him.”

According to ESPN’s stats, Daniels is tied for first nationally in passing touchdowns (25), quarterback rating, and average yards per attempt (11.5). He’s also fourth in passing yards 2,573 while adding 521 rushing yards. Per the NCAA’s total offense metrics, LSU is leading the country in yards per game (552.9) and is second with 48 offensive touchdowns.

Daniels, a senior from San Bernadino, Calif., has orchestrated it all in his second year as Brian Kelly’s starter. The 13th-ranked Tigers (6-2, 4-1) haven’t scored fewer than 25 points since Week 1, a loss to Florida State. Since, a combination of Daniels’ arm and LSU’s overall rushing attack, which includes Logan Diggs, has punished defenses.

The Tide got a good look at it firsthand in Death Valley last fall when Daniels produced 277 yards and three touchdowns. Facing a Will Anderson-led pass rush, Daniels pulled off runs of 21, 31 and 25 yards, the latter being a zone-option read touchdown in overtime. Daniels then fed Mason Taylor near the pylon on a two-point conversion that triggered a field storming.

Saban said while LSU can execute quarterback draws and designed runs, many of Daniels’ chunks came on broken-down plays and scrambles. Tide middle linebacker Deontae Lawson compared facing UA quarterback Jalen Milroe’s dual-threat ability in practice each day when asked about the pressures of facing Daniels.

“That’s going to be a big challenge for us,” Lawson said. “That’s something we need to prep during the week and make sure everyone has their gaps and know who has the quarterback in all situations. It’s a big part of their offense, so we got to stop that.”

Kickoff is set for 6:45 p.m. CT in Bryant-Denny Stadium on CBS, another hostile crowd for Daniels to sort through. Two of LSU’s best offensive performances have come on the road at Ole Miss, a six-point loss, and at Missouri, a 10-point win.

Nick Alvarez is a reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @nick_a_alvarez or email him at [email protected].