FIU walk-on safety’s contributions earned him a start, could make him scholarship player
In this first year under FIU football coach Mike MacIntyre, three former walk-on players have earned scholarships – cornerback Brian Blades and wide receivers Dean Patterson and Ross Fournet.
Safety D’verick Daniel could be the fourth.
After six games as a special-teams player, Daniel earned his first Division I start on Oct. 22 in a 34-15 win over Charlotte.
“It’s different than coming in off the bench – you have to be locked in, communicate with your teammates,” Daniel said. “You’ve earned some trust from people. Now, you have to keep that trust.”
Daniel has done just that, and a perfect example was his second start, which came in a 42-34 double-overtime win over Louisiana Tech on Oct. 28.
That was Daniel’s first home start, and he delivered 10 tackles, including 1½ stops for losses. He followed that up with a team-high seven tackles in his third start, a loss to North Texas the next week.
A thick-bodied player at 5-10 and 210 pounds, Daniel had no FBS-school scholarship offers coming out of high school. The Gainesville native grew up a big Florida Gators fan, but he found no opportunities in “The Swamp.”
Instead, he enrolled at Catawba College, a Division II school in Salisbury, North Carolina.
Daniel admitted he had never heard of Catawba before he was approached by their recruiters, but he took the opportunity and played nine games for the Indians, recording 35 tackles, including 4½ for losses. He also had three quarterback hurries, two pass breakups and one interception.
“I had never even been to North Carolina (prior to Catawba),” Daniel said. “But I was thankful for the opportunity.”
Daniel then put his name in the transfer portal and landed at FIU this spring as a walk-on, thanks to the recruiting interest of Brandon Buchner, who is on the Panthers coaching staff as an analyst.
Once at FIU, Daniel made an immediate impression.
“In the spring, I kind of noticed him, and he was here all summer, working,” MacIntyre said. “In fall camp, he started making more plays, and we put him on a bunch of special teams.
“Then, as the season went on, we’ve had different things happen (injuries), and he’s stepped up every time. Now he’s starting and playing really well. I’m impressed with his work ethic.”
MacIntyre said Daniel brings more than just hard work.
“He’s a quick-twitch thinker,” MacIntyre said. “On the field, he can see it, he can call it, he can check it. He can see the game fast. He can anticipate well, and there’s athleticism there.”
MacIntyre said walk-ons generally earn scholarships by getting playing time, although those decisions usually get made in the summer.
“I can’t tell you how many kids we turn away who want to come here as a walk-on – it’s a lot,” MacIntyre said. “We have 110 players on our team and only 85 scholarships.
“Every year, there are (walk-ons) who earn scholarships. We’d love to give all of them scholarships because they’re working hard, but we only have 85. We give it to them when they’re good enough to play.”
Daniel, who is majoring in sports management and has two years of eligibility following this season, knew he was on track when he made a pass breakup in FIU’s spring game.
“It was my first time in the actual FIU Stadium with some fans,” he said. “It was everything I had dreamed of.”
Since then, Daniel’s dream has just kept getting better.
“He’s not big in stature,” MacIntyre said. “But he’s big in emotion, toughness and quickness.”
THIS AND THAT
▪ FIU’s men’s soccer team got great news on Monday as the Panthers earned a No. 10 national seed and received a first-round bye in the NCAA Tournament.
The Panthers (13-4-1) are now just five wins from a national title, and they will start their march with a home game on Sunday at 6 p.m. against the winner between New Hampshire (14-4-0) and Seton Hall (7-3-7). Those teams play on Thursday.