Ashton Daniels came to the Plains competing for a chance to start with Jackson Arnold during the 2025 season, with Deuce Knight sitting behind them both. Daniels got action when it was too late to make something out of the season, but he was better than Arnold.
Better enough to keep the Tigers close in a 45-38 overtime loss to the Vanderbilt Commodores and their Heisman candidate quarterback, Diego Pavia, and mount a comeback that fell short in the team's 27-20 Iron Bowl loss to the Alabama Crimson Tide. Better enough to overtake Arnold and knock off the Arkansas Razorbacks 33-24 on the road.