Eastern Washington University Athletics

McDaniels joined the EWU staff in 2023 after two seasons at Auburn University, where he was the Senior Offensive Analyst, assisting the coaching of the Receivers, Tight Ends and Running Backs.
 
While at Auburn he coached 2 current rookie NFL players: Running Back Tank Bigsby, Jacksonville Jaguars (3^rd Round pick) & Wide Receiver Shedrick Jackson, Cincinnati Bengals. He also helped coach Bo Nix during the 2021 season, who is currently the University of Oregon starting Quarterback and recently finished 3^rd in the Heisman Trophy voting.
 
Over the last four weeks of the 2022 season at Auburn, McDaniels was elevated to Interim Running Backs Coach. During his time in that position, Auburn had 7 different 100+ yard rushers. The offense during that time ending with 184 rushing attempts leading to 1,100 rushing yards and 9 rushing touchdowns. The offense averaged over 6 yards per carry and 275 rushing yards per game.
 
Before his elevation during the 2022 season, as the Senior Offensive Analyst he assisted all Offensive Skill position coaches and worked alongside the Offensive Coordinator / Quarterbacks Coach and Head Coach in game planning.  During his first season at Auburn, he was the Offensive Skill Graduate Assistant Coach. He helped the Quarterback, Running Back, Receiver, and Tight Ends coaches in daily preparation in addition to game planning as well.
 
McDaniels came to Auburn from Boise State University, where he served as the Offensive Graduate Assistant Coach. He worked primarily with the Tight Ends & Offensive Line during his year with the Broncos.  Two Bronco players were drafted at the conclusion of his season there: Tight End John Bates, Washington Commanders (4^th Round pick) & Wide Receiver Khalil Shakir, Buffalo Bills (5^th Round pick).
 
McDaniels came to Boise State after spending three seasons at Davidson College (FCS), his alma mater, coaching the Cornerbacks and serving as the program's Recruiting Coordinator. He also ran the Kickoff and Punt Units during his time there. During the 2019 season, nationally Davidson ranked #4 in Total Defense, #10 in Pass Defense & #16 in Scoring Defense.

Before returning to Davidson, McDaniels spent two seasons at Texas State University as the Offensive Skill and Special Teams Graduate Assistant Coach. During the 2016 season McDaniels worked primarily with the Receivers and all of the Special Teams units. The Bobcats led the entire country in blocked kicks (8) in 2016. In his first season at Texas State, he worked with the Running backs and Tight Ends while again working with all Special Teams units. He helped Running Back Robert Lowe become the first Bobcat since 1997 to rush for over 900 yards in three-consecutive years. Lowe finished his career fourth on the all-time rushing yards list (3,027) and fourth in all-time rushing touchdowns (29). In the kicking game that season, the Bobcats finished near the top of nearly every primary kicking statistic in the Sun Belt Conference and receiver Brandon Smith was selected to the 2015 All-Sun Belt Conference Team as a Kick Returner.

Prior to Texas State, McDaniels served as the Offensive Quality Control Coach working with both the Quarterbacks and Receivers at Old Dominion University. During his season at ODU, he coached current Atlanta Falcon quarterback Taylor Heinicke, a two-time All-American and Walter Payton Award Winner (FCS Most Outstanding Player Award). He also worked with the two best statistical Receivers in ODU history: Zach Pascal and Antonio Vaughan. Pascal, a current Receiver for the Arizona Cardinals, ranks in the top-two of every receiving statistic in Monarch history and Vaughan is the all-time leader in receiving yards for the Monarchs.
 
A two-year letterman and Senior team captain for Davidson, McDaniels ranked second among Receivers with 37 catches for 428 yards and three touchdowns as a Senior. During his Senior season he also was the leading punter and was named Davidson’s Special Teams Player of the Year by the coaching staff. He finished his playing career as a three-time Academic All-Pioneer League Football Member. His coaching career started during the spring of his senior year when he transitioned from a player to an offensive student assistant coach.
 
McDaniels graduated from Davidson College in 2014 with a Bachelor’s Degree in psychology with a minor in interpersonal and mass communication. He has a Master’s Degree with Honors in education and sports management from Old Dominion, and a second Master’s with Honors in mass communication with an emphasis in strategic communications from Texas State University.