The text will be received on Bryson Daily’s cell phone sometime before Army’s first 2024 kickoff Friday night.
Buddy Comer has sent his grandson the same six-word text ever since the Black Knights’ quarterback had his first cell phone in middle school.
The message reads, “Good luck, cool head, hot heart.”
“That was something that he would text me because I had a short temper as a kid,” Daily said. “I’m better about it now. The cool head was to keep me cool, calm, and collected but not lose that passion for the game. That’s what he always tried to instill in me.”
Daily keeps his grandfather’s advice at the forefront of his mind. He has a tattoo in his grandfather’s writing with the words, “cool head, hot heart” on his arm so Daily never forgets.
The senior from Abernathy, Texas will start his second straight season opener Friday. This is Daily’s team. He’s unquestioned voice in the huddle. Daily is also one of four team captains and the only offensive captain.
“He’s tough,” Army offensive coordinator Cody Worley said. “He’s smart. He’s a great leader. He loves football. He’s one of those guys that is never satisfied.”
Worley watched his quarterback throw extra routes to Casey Reynolds and Tyrell Robinson and work the option mesh with fullbacks Kanye Udoh and Jake Rendina after Monday’s practice.
Daily’s passion for the game was built through a football family. Daily was coached by Comer in youth football, where he actually played center because he was too big to run the ball. His father, Darrell, was Daily’s coach in middle school and high school.
“It was awesome being under great coaches like them,” Daily said. “It helped my growth for football, learning football and my love for football.”
Army coach Jeff Monken and his staff recruited Daily for his physical play and versatility (he also played linebacker in high school). The bonus was Daily being a coach’s son.
“I like coach’s kids,” Monken said. “They understand the game. They take a lot of pride in the team. Most often, they are very unselfish.”
Army coaches told Daily during recruiting that if quarterback didn’t work out that they might move him to linebacker. Daily was fine with it. He came to West Point because the coaching and players.
And, quarterback has worked out for Daily. He ran for 903 yards and passed for 913 yards, accounting for 14 touchdowns (7 rushing, 7 passing). Those numbers could increase this season with Army returning to more snaps under center and the Black Knights’ talented cast of playmakers.
“With his skill set, I think he’s got a chance to be one of the best that Army has seen just in totality,” -Worley said. “He loves football and he wants to be great. He’s going to continue to work at it and that’s something that I really appreciate. He’s going to work really, really hard and you know he’s going to maximize his potential.”
Daily received the ultimate sign of respect when he was voted only the third quarterback captain in Monken’s 11 seasons by his teammates. It’s something that Daily doesn’t take for granted.
“It’s the greatest honor that I’ve ever had in my life,” Daily said. “The great men that came before us as captains as players and the great men that are in the locker room right now that voted us four captains up there, it’s an absolute honor because there’s great guys that chose us to lead them. West Point is a leadership institution and being a leader amongst other leaders, it’s pretty special. I’m going to do my best to uphold the honor with that. I’m trying my best every day.”
It’s that work ethic that has earned Daley the respect of his teammates. Senior wide receiver Cam Schurr says Daily is “one of the most physical people I’ve seen play football.” Senior offensive lineman Bill Katsigiannis is impressed with Daily’s “straight tunnel vision.”
“He carries this aura with him,” Katsigiannis said. “He never changes. He has his own personal beliefs. He’s going to stick ty o that. It really shows in his leadership style. He doesn’t take anything for granted. He shows the guys he loves them and it’s the same thing off the field. He acts the same way. He doesn’t change.”
A leader on and off the field. And, someone Worley says “always has a chip on his shoulder.”
“You have to be like that around here and he’s special,” Worley said.
