Is it time for Indiana to consider using Zander Diamont as more than just a backup?

There likely isn't an Indiana football fan around who would advocate that Zander Diamont is a better option than Nate Sudfeld to quarterback this team when both are healthy. This is not in anyway a shot against Diamont, but the reality of having a 6'7"-something senior quarterback with NFL arm talent. This is Sudfeld's offense -- don't question that.

But with his redshirt year officially burned, Indiana can and should find ways for Zander Diamont to contribute offensively.

Necessity is the mother of invention; and when Suds went down with an ankle injury against Ohio State, Indiana was again forced to press their dynamic backup quarterback into duty. Kevin Wilson, long known for his offensive mind, wasn't afraid to flip to the back of the playbook and find some plays that emphasized Zander's strengths once Indiana began to struggle to move the ball in a more traditional fashion.

The best part about this play was how well Zander sold it. He hands off the sweep and stands motionless and disinterested until the defender commits to the sweep and then shoots up the field to snag the throw back. That's the kind of acting that snags a Daytime Emmy. Some stuff you just can't coach, selling that fake was in the man's dang genes.

And, lest we forget, SPEED KILLS.

That run shows off just about every skill you want to see in a running quarterback: vision, breaking arm tackles, and breakaway speed. And it's not like he's doing that against FCS-level competition, that's Ohio dang State. If you can pull off those runs against them, you've got a chance against anyone.

I'm not advocating to go back to the days of switching out quarterbacks at random intervals, but giving Zander a package of plays might not be a bad changeup to put in the arsenal. Just putting him on the field for hand-offs might give the running backs the extra half-second needed to break a long gain as linebackers worry if the devilishly handsome trigger man is going to keep the ball and head to Touchdown City himself. And, of course, he's still a quarterback. If all the misdirection leads to a receiver running free, any ball lobbed in that general direction would go for a big play.

Maybe we put BOTH QUARTERBACKS ON THE FIELD AT THE SAME TIME for maximum craftiness and deceit. You don't even know which one is going to the snap! The DIAMOND SUDS package is the most luxurious in college football! This running, throwing, high-wire act is sure to inspire awe in the hearts of millions across the globe! No refunds!

Ahem.

A gadget player that gives the defense something else to prepare for / think about and, if effective, makes scoring points easier for everybody. Perhaps Kevin Wilson isn't about to fiddle with his team's offensive identity because of a couple good plays by his backup quarterback, after all, Zander's time at the helm of this offense is coming soon enough. That said, Wilson also isn't the kind of guy to leave a bullet in the chamber on offense. If he thinks Zander gives him another legitimate way to move the ball, then we'll probably see him for a handful of plays every week.