Diamont Leaves IU on His Own Terms

Zander Diamont gave 100 percent to IU Football. Image: Indystar.com

Written by: TJ Inman (@TJHoosierHuddle)

Zander Diamont doesn’t really know where his future lies. He’s not sure where his professional career will take him and he’s not sure what he’ll be doing upon graduation. However, he is sure of two things: his professional future does not lie in the NFL and he’ll need a healthy brain to be able to have the life he wants to have. For that reason, the exciting quarterback from California has opted to forego his final season of eligibility and leave the Indiana football program after the upcoming bowl game. 

“To be honest, I have had a lot of concussions over the course of my career, a lot of which were in high school,” Diamont told reporters after IU’s win over Purdue. “With the way that I play, at my size, I am not going to start being the guy who slides and steps out of bounds. That’s just not my style and if I am going to go out, I am going to go out my way. I am not going to alter the way that I play in order to kind of treat that side of the deal. So, it was mostly I wanted to give 100 percent to the game and respect the game in that way and play the way I wanted to and go out the way I wanted to. I think that for my safety and my future, you know I am not going to the NFL, I need my brain and yeah, that was the decision.”

Diamont’s career as a passer was less than stellar but the 6’1” quarterback will be remembered for his explosive runs that often ignited the Indiana Hoosiers offense. Hoosier fans will remember his 79-yard scamper on a scramble against Ohio State when he came on for an injured Nate Sudfeld. They will remember his gutsy performance in a victory over Purdue and the subsequent photo of him posing with the Old Oaken Bucket and a cigar. They’ll remember the “Bacon ‘n’ Legs” package he was used in this season as he helped spark a crucial win over Maryland and then a fourth straight win over Purdue. One of the smallest quarterbacks to ever play in the FBS, Diamont never strayed from his aggressive playing style and he never shied away from showing his emotions on the field.He only threw 14 passes this season but he ran for 241 yards and four touchdowns in a “Wildcat” type role that he accepted with no hesitation. 

“I’m grateful to be part of the team. Coming back this year, I knew I might not start, might not play. I might not see the field. I also knew that I could be really valuable to the team in whatever role that was,” Diamont said. “I was going to be 100 percent committed to that and I think I pride myself on the fact that if you ask anybody in that locker room they’d agree with that.”

Indiana head coach Kevin Wilson understood the decision and spoke about his unique back-up quarterback: “If you put him on scales, I bet he’s a buck 61 (161). Just came to me a week ago, been talking about, hey, I can graduate in the summer and I think this is it. One of his gifts is his ability to run. He’s a small guy and he plays with a lot of heart and a lot of courage and that was a decision he and his family came to. I think some of the hits are adding up on him.”

Ten years from now, Zander Diamont’s stats likely won’t be remembered by even the most passionate of IU football fans. However, the undersized scrambler and son of a soap opera actor that came to Bloomington from California will not be forgotten. His contributions to the IU football program were not monumental but he was an important part of a group that has Indiana in back-to-back bowl games for the first time since 1990-1991 and he played a key role in a pair of Old Oaken Bucket victories as a part of a current four-game winning streak over arch-rival Purdue. Diamont will try to help Indiana win their bowl game before graduating this summer with a telecommunications degree. He will then depart Bloomington and embark on his next adventure and he will do so with positive memories of the game of football and of his successful collegiate career.

“IU has been incredible for me. I feel good about this (Bucket) win, the season we’ve had and my commitment to the goals I set for myself.”