B1G 2016 // Indiana Potluck 3: Hoosier Quarterback?

Welcome to midweek. Today, we're gonna slow the food down a bit, and treat you to a good old-fashioned cafeteria style meal, courtesy of the good folks at MCL Restaurant and Bakery. Why it's in the Potluck: I quite enjoy the food there. Do I really need more of a reason than that?

Indiana's offense is driven by who's lined up at quarterback. And with Nate Sudfeld off to the NFL, the job is currently open, with three reasonable contenders looking to fill it. Zander Diamont, best known for smoking cigars while holding Buckets and scampering for 79 yard touchdowns against Ohio State; Danny Cameron, best known for being Cam Cameron's son and taking over in a lost cause against Penn State; and JUCO transfer Richard Lagow, best known for being a similar quarterback to Nate Sudfeld and not a whole lot else (yet). Who should Indiana start at QB in 2016, and who will they start in 2016?

Andrew Kraszewski: I hear Lagow is the most like Sudfeld. Indiana's offense ran at a higher gear with N-Sudz taking the snaps, so absent much other knowledge about these guys, he would be my choice. Maybe you can even use Diamont the way Tre Roberson subbed in for Sudfeld and/or Coffman a couple years ago (and you people think OTE don't watch the games. Yeah, I remember guys who used to play for IU, where's your trivia game at there, friend?).

Graham Filler: I would think another Sudfield is just about best-case scenario. I watched Sudfield against MSU; he did have complete control of the offense and was an impressive specimen. Sudfield’s throwing accuracy and release and size seemed to fit the Wilson spread really well. I’ll bet Cameron starts and Lagow finishes. Because man you can’t teach size and cannon-arm. /takes statement, throws into cliché-cannon, aaaand fires

MNWildcat: 6'6", 240# on Lagow? Holy shit. That could be a weapon if he's got a quasi-accurate arm (and the CQ article from December http://www.crimsonquarry.com/2015/12/7/9865650/indiana-football-recruiting-kevin-wilson-lands-top-juco-quarterback) seemed to suggest he did, at least to Wilson. If he can run the offense, play'em. Otherwise I'd say Diamont's got the inside track, what with his familiarity with the offense, though I'm not sold on his as anything except an underwear model.

StewMonkey13: Going back to not paying attention to Indiana's recruiting, I have no idea. Can Diamont learn to actually pass the ball? If so, then I'd say he's probably the front runner. But Indiana lost a really good QB, RB, and some key pieces on the OL. Diamont is really good at improvising, and that may be what's necessary this year, replacing all those pieces.

AlnamiasIV: Who should start? Only the Indiana braintrust can answer that? I have no idea what goes on in the locker room or on the practice field? Who will start? I'll say they start by platooning Diamont and Lagow, but Diamont will make some bad decisions and Lagow will be the full-time starter by the time the first conference game rolls around. I base that opinion on nothing that is supportable. If it were Purdue, all three would start by the end of the year.

Jesse Collins: Should? Whoever can run around and save their lives for long enough amounts of time to let the other talent get open. If Lagow is really similar to Sudfeld, I’d hope for him. Nothing against the other two, but if they were going to win playing time and some loyalty from coaches, that probably would have happened by now. Of course, who do I think starts initially? Zander. It’s just easier that way.

LincolnParkWildcat: Give the job to Zander Diamont. Hopefully two years of weightlifting and S&C has given him a Big Ten body that can handle getting beat up in the conference if the ever-improving Indiana OL can hold off the murders row of defenses.

babaoreally: I don't know much about IU's QB situation, but I think they need to find the best passer out of the bunch. It's nice to have a dual threat QB, but IU's system seems to work well with the QB concentrating on passing and letting the RBs handle the running part of it.

Thomas Speth: Zander Diamont has the name of a European jewel thief and the picture of him holding the Bucket while chomping a cigar is Peak Bro. I know absolutely nothing about IU QBs other than the fact I would totally party with Zander Diamont

ZuzuRU: Zander Diamont BECAUSE LOOK AT THAT FACE, but in all honesty-- he's a good QB who I am sure has come far enough to start since helping Indiana beat Purdue in 2014. The internet tells me that in the last two minutes of that game, he scored a touchdown himself on a 1-yard run with 27 seconds left. Apparently he also completed 15-of-24 passes for 119 yards, and he netted 34 yards rushing on 11 attempts. Sounds like those are some things that may have matured very nicely in a year.

Aaron Yorke: I haven't seen much of Cameron or Lagow, but I've seen enough of Diamont to know that he's not the right answer if Indiana plans on returning to a bowl game this year. Sure, his athleticism is fun, but the most handsome quarterback in the room struggles to complete half of his passes whenever he's on the field. If Cameron or Lagow can't beat him for the job in training camp, the Hoosiers are going to have problems. And by that, I mean they'll have more problems than they usually do. The word from spring practice is that Lagow is the favorite to become the starter, so hopefully the tall pocket passer will follow in Sudfeld's footsteps and become another productive Indiana quarterback.