WARREN - Warren G. Harding football coach Steve Arnold found an interesting way to describe the running style of LeShun Daniels.
"He's a smash-mouth Big Ten running back," Arnold said.
Now, Daniels can prove it.
The 6-foot, 215-pound senior committed to Iowa over the weekend. Daniels initially chose Boston College, but he changed his mind when the Eagles fired head coach Frank Spaziani on Nov. 25 after finishing 2-10 in 2012. Now he's headed to one of the most prestigious schools in the Big Ten and one that's known for producing great running backs.
Daniels, who rushed for 1,604 yards and 15 touchdowns on 261 carries this season, is looking forward to the opportunity with the Hawkeyes.
"(The coaching change) sort of opened up some things for me," he said. "I was getting some looks from other schools, and I went and visited Iowa last weekend. It's a nice campus, and there was just a real good feeling. The coaches were all good guys, and it just had a home feel to it."
The Hawkeyes didn't recruit Daniels at first, but they reached out to him after he made it known he was looking at other schools following Spaziani's dismissal. Arnold said Iowa offensive coordinator Greg Davis came to Warren last week to explain how the run-oriented Iowa offense can utilize Daniels' abilities. Arnold and Daniels both said the offensive system of the Hawkeyes and the new, unknown style of play at Boston College factored in to his decision.
"He's a physical running back who can carry the ball 25 to 30 times a game, and he really fits what Iowa does," Arnold said. "That's not to say he wouldn't have fit at Boston College, but you know exactly what you're getting in Iowa. We talked to the new coach (at Boston College) - he came down last week. They still wanted him to sign , but he just felt more comfortable at Iowa. Coach (Kirk) Ferentz, that's what they do. They run the football."
National signing day is Feb. 6.
