The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Chase Daniel: Playing Through The Pain
11/3/2011 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 3, 2011
By Lauren Rupert | UAB Athletic Media Relations
For almost every high school football player there is no bigger thrill than playing under the lights every Friday night in front of his friends, family and fans. As he runs out of the tunnel, the crowd chants his name. The adrenaline is racing through his body, ready to be explosive on the field and earn a victory for his school.
Nobody knows that feeling better than a former Hoover High School Buccaneer - like UAB senior safety Chase Daniel.
Daniel, who attended Hoover High from 2004-08, was a four-year letterwinner and helped lead the team to a 53-5 record and two state championships during those four years.
Before any team takes the field, the players endure countless hours of preparation, but perhaps nothing is as grueling as the Buccaneers' preseason training camp that Daniel went through at the Marion Military Institute in Marion, Ala.
The country got a taste of how a state championship team trains for a successful campaign when the first season of the MTV series "Two-A-Days" aired in 2006, recapping the 2005 season - Daniel's sophomore year.
Although Daniel thought seeing himself in the background on TV and having MTV microphones and cameras in the Hoover hallways was interesting, he would like to soon forget his days at the preseason training camp.
"I don't even want to think about Marion football camp. It was the worst experience of my life," Daniel said. "It's one of those things where you still have nightmares about it."
In the end, Daniel thinks it was worth it. The camp obviously did the trick since Hoover High compiled a 115-12 record, won five state championships and accomplished two runner-up seasons under coach Rush Propst, the Marion camp orchestrator.
"It was pretty hard. It was three or four days in a row of three-a-day practices, but it got us in shape and ready for the season. That's the reason you do it ... to win state," Daniel said.
While Daniel grew up in the Birmingham area, he didn't know UAB was the place for him until he attended some of the Blazers' prospect camps as a high schooler.
"I didn't really know much about UAB until I came to the camps and talked to the coaches," Daniel said. "I talked with coach [Kim] Helton (UAB's offensive coordinator) a lot and had a good feeling with the rest of the coaches. I had honest conversations with them and felt like this was the right place for me to come."
The 6-foot-3, 200-pound Daniel, who started his college career at UAB in the fall of 2008, has always been a safety. He knew right away it was the best position on the field for him.
"In high school they tried to move me to linebacker, but I didn't like it," Daniel said. "To me, safety is the best position on the field. I like fitting up against the run, being in the back, seeing the whole defense and reacting. I like it all really."
Daniel made an impact right away with the Blazers, making an appearance in all 12 games his freshman year, starting in half of them at the safety position. He finished his rookie season tied for third on the team with 47 tackles, including 34 solo hits, and intercepted a pair of passes.
"Chase came in and started as a freshman. He's been a very good player for us," head coach Neil Callaway said. "He's a great guy and has always done everything we've asked him to do."
Daniel continued to contribute in his sophomore and junior seasons. In the two years combined, he totaled 68 tackles, 48 of which were solo, to go along with three interceptions.
Despite his individual success on the field, if you ask him his most memorable moment in the Green and Gold, he'll smile and tell you it was the team effort in UAB's first-ever victory against conference opponent Southern Miss in his sophomore year.
"It was a big part of my career to help the team win that game," Daniel said. "When I first came here, I heard all the time how we never beat Southern Miss. As a whole team we played pretty well, and accomplishing that was pretty big."
The Blazers topped the Golden Eagles 30-17 in the Oct. 1, 2009 contest in which Daniel made a season-high eight tackles. UAB continued its recent success against Southern Miss in 2010 and beat the Golden Eagles with a nail-biting, 50-49 victory in double overtime on Halloween weekend.
But during that game, Daniel was sidelined by injury, something that unfortunately has plagued him throughout his college career.
In his four years with the Blazers, Daniel has been forced to miss a total of nine games. He managed to remain healthy during his freshman season, but his sophomore and junior years were both cut short due to injury.
In 2009, he missed five games after suffering an injury in the Marshall game on Oct. 24. As a junior in 2010, he missed four games but still ranked fifth on the team in tackles.
It's intriguing to think where Daniel would be in his career if he did not have to continuously battle injuries.
"My X-ray file is deep. There is nothing I can do about it. I just need to keep playing and keep helping the team out," Daniel said.
Like a seasoned veteran, Daniel handles his injuries with grace, helping the team out in a coaching role from the sidelines when he has been forced out of action.
"All you can do when you're injured is coach the guys who are out there, help them keep focus and keep them in the game," Daniel said.
Daniel has even been slowed by a few nicks early in his senior season, but he has managed to be on the field for every game. He polished off the Blazers' win over UCF two weeks ago with an interception on the final play. It was the seventh pick of his career, tied for eighth-most in UAB history. But even when he is limited in practice, he knows the importance of staying mentally and emotionally involved.
"I let them know that I am involved in the game and practice. I don't take myself away from the team," Daniel said. "I stay involved which includes being on time, attending every meeting and talking to the players every chance you get just like you are out there playing."
During the tough times watching from the sidelines, Daniel keeps in mind the advice given to him by his two biggest influences, team chaplain Jhun Cook and his father Harry.
"Jhun is always hanging around and he calls me all the time," Daniel said. "He's a good influence on me. He prays for me and tells me to keep my head up."
He says the best advice he ever received is to never give up and play to his full ability without distractions. His dad reminds him of that guidance every night.
"I talk to my dad every night about the season, how things are going and about my injuries," Daniel said. "I just have to push through."
With the support of his dad, team and several experienced athletic trainers, Daniel has played in all eight of UAB's games this season. Injuries aside, he wants to do everything he possibly can to help the Blazers finish off the second half of the season on a positive note.
"There is nothing I can do about [injuries]," Daniel said. "I just have to play, keep my head on straight and try to turn this season around. Teams have turned seasons around before"
The Blazers have four games left in the season to do just that. For Daniel and the other 22 seniors on the team, it will be the last four games of their collegiate careers.
Once those college days are over, the sports and health in society major would like to coach college football, but only if his marketing career doesn't take off. Even though Daniel has never left the area of his Hoover hometown, he wants to give the marketing world a shot outside of Birmingham and even the state.
"I've thought about moving, maybe to California. I've never left Birmingham and I can always come back," Daniel said. "I'd like to venture out and see what else is out there."
For now, Daniel will take advantage of going home whenever he wants to, whether it's to enjoy a home-cooked meal, do laundry or watch his younger brother Dakota play football at Hoover High. Dakota is a senior running back and slot receiver for the Bucs, but Chase always reminds him how easy he has it.
"[Dakota] didn't have to go through the three-a-day training camp. I remind him of that often," Daniel said. "But anytime I get a chance I go back and watch him play. It's great to be just 10 minutes away."
But it was that demanding training camp, family support and his love for football that prepared him mentally and physically to overcome the challenges he has faced at UAB and be successful on the football field.
"I've enjoyed playing [at UAB] so far and I'm just excited to get to play," Daniel said. "Even though I've had some injuries, I'm happy.
"My family can watch me play here. They come to every home game and try to come to some of the away games."
As his senior season begins to wind down, Daniel will continue to work and play hard. He'll suit up in the Green and Gold over the coming weeks knowing the clock is ticking on his college career, but enjoying every moment.
And there is no better moment than huddling in the tunnel with his teammates as the adrenaline pumps through him, ready to be explosive on the defense and earn a victory for UAB. As he runs out under the lights he knows his family, friends and fans are chanting his name.
"It's a good feeling," Daniel said. "I'm going to miss it."
