Bio

Dan McDaniel was known as a game-changer. The quarterback/punter was even better known as a program changer after helping turn the Cowley College football program’s fortunes around in his one season at the school. The former All-American will be honored for his accomplishments by being inducted into the Tiger Athletic Hall of Fame on Saturday, January 7, 2017.

McDaniel was born in Springfield, Missouri and moved to Jefferson City, MO when he was 11. He started playing football in the second grade and was a defensive back when he began playing for Jefferson City High School. During his high school career he was an All-State Defensive Back and part of an undefeated state championship team.

He was recruited to play football at Wichita State University. After one season at WSU McDaniel followed then assistant coach Jerry Boyce who left WSU to become the head coach at Cowley College.

The two joined a Tiger program that had won only two games in the previous four seasons. However, with McDaniel at quarterback and punter in his one season for the Tigers the team’s fortunes turned quickly. McDaniel set seven school records including Most Total Offense in a Season (2,022 passing yards), Most Total Offense in a Game (328 yards), Most Passes Completed in a Season (119), Most Passes Completed in a Game (19), Most Passes Attempted in a Season (248), Most Passes Attempted in a Game (41), and Highest Punting Average in a Season (41.1) as the Tigers went 7-3 in the 1978 season.

“We had a great leader in Jerry Boyce and we worked together as a team very effectively,” McDaniel said. “The college was terrific. I liked the community feel of it and its small town values.”

For his efforts McDaniel was an All-American and All-Conference selection.

Cowley College Board Chair Bob Juden was a senior on the Southwestern College football team that scrimmaged McDaniel’s Tigers prior to the 1978 season. Juden remembers the Moundbuilders easily defeating Cowley in the teams’ scrimmage prior to the 1977 season, but with McDaniel leading the Tigers Cowley easily beat Southwestern the next time around.

“You could tell he was the kind of kid you would want to lead your team,” Juden said. “Not only could he throw, but he could also run.”

McDaniel went on to play football at the University of Missouri and was part of another Tiger team that went to two bowl games, the Liberty Bowl and Hall of Fame Bowl.

After his playing days, McDaniel coached at Weber State University in Ogden, UT, worked for a railroad company for 14 years and currently works for Tiffany Construction Company in Sedona, AZ.

He and his wife, Phyllis, have been married for 23 years. The couple has two children, daughter Blake McDaniel 30, and son Jake McDaniel 20. They also have a granddaughter, Joan Mae 4.

McDaniel was surprised to get the call that he will be going into the Tiger Athletic Hall of Fame. He is looking forward to coming back to Cowley and see how the college has grown.

“It is a great honor,” McDaniel said. “My family was very excited about it and very happy for me.”