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Thursday, March 28
The Indiana Daily Student

sports football

Diamont brings different element to IU's offense

Junior quarterback Zander Diamont sprints through the Nebraska defense at Memorial Stadium on Saturday.

There’s always one name that IU fans cry out when passes aren’t completed.

It happened when junior quarterback Richard Lagow threw five interceptions in IU’s loss to Wake Forest. It happened when the Hoosiers took the field the next week against Michigan State.

That name is Zander 
Diamont.

The junior quarterback saw his first action of the season Saturday against the then-No. 10 Nebraska 
Cornhuskers.

“Zander has a skillset that Rich doesn’t have and can bring some things to the table,” IU offensive coordinator Kevin Johns said. “I don’t know if that’s a full-time thing — maybe some situational things during the game.”

The Hoosiers were down 17-2 to the Cornhuskers when Diamont found his way onto the field Saturday.

Four drives had ended without points for IU — turnover on downs, interception, punt, punt. Junior safety Chase Dutra had just blocked a punt for a safety, and IU had a 3rd-and-2 on the Nebraska 40-yard line.

If IU didn’t score points on this drive, the game could get out of hand. The Hoosiers needed a spark.

Diamont sprinted onto the field as Lagow trotted off, and Memorial Stadium immediately began to cheer at the sight of No. 12 behind center.

He caught the snap, faked the handoff to junior running back Devine Redding and took the ball around the left side for nine yards and a first down. IU would get a field goal to cap the drive and keep Nebraska within reach.

The junior ran the ball eight times for 31 yards as the Hoosiers tried to open up the run game.

The strategy had minimal effect, though. Other than a 33-yard touchdown run from Redding, the Hoosiers recorded 55 rushing yards — Diamont had 31 of them.

“To us, there’s not really a balance. It’s more how to win the game,” Johns said. “Whatever it takes. We’re going to play whoever it takes to win games.”

Diamont has played many roles throughout his career, but a platoon quarterback is a new one.

He served as the starting quarterback when former Hoosier Nate Sudfeld went down with injuries in 2014 and 2015, and when IU is preparing for dual-threat quarterbacks, Diamont leads the scout team offense against the No. 1 defense.

Diamont nearly led IU over top-ranked Ohio State teams in consecutive seasons and was explicitly named player of the game in 2015’s matchup against the Buckeyes with a 79-yard touchdown run. He also scored the game-winning touchdown to put IU over Purdue in the season finale in 2014, a game that set the tone for the 2015 season.

When IU is preparing for dual-threat quarterbacks, Diamont leads the scout team offense against the No. 1 defense.

He even drew up the Ricky Jones touchdown that tied the game against Michigan State in the third quarter, propelling the Hoosiers to upset the Spartans.

His fingerprints have been all over IU’s recent success, and Wilson, the coaching staff and his teammates aren’t afraid to express their confidence in the backup quarterback.

He’s not a wildcat quarterback, and IU doesn’t plan to use him that way, 
Wilson said.

He’s a quarterback with an improved arm that can run as well.

Senior receiver Mitchell Paige advocated for Diamont all offseason and said — along with his coaches — the junior had had the best offseason of his career and that his arm is better than ever.

He’s a little spark plug, Paige said. That’s how the Hoosiers plan to use him.

“Ever since he’s gotten here, he’s been a vocal kid. He’s a natural leader,” Paige said after the Nebraska loss. “There’s no drop off when he comes in like, ‘Oh, no, Zander’s in.’ It’s more like, ‘Zander’s in. Let’s go to work with him, too.’”

Wilson said after the Nebraska loss an official approached him during the game and said Diamont was scolding IU senior center Wes Rogers for a mistake the senior had made. Wilson said that it showed great leadership.

When asked about it, Diamont downplayed the 
leadership.

“I actually told him the ref made him mess up,” Diamont said laughing.

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