Spring football is back, and with that comes injury news.
On Sunday, IU Coach Kevin Wilson said junior quarterback Zander Diamont underwent a procedure and will miss all of spring practice. Diamont had the option to have the procedure before spring or after, but Diamont chose to get healthy earlier and be ready for summer.
Wilson described it as a “minor little surgery.”
Diamont is expected to be involved in the quarterback competition to replace record-holding passer Nate Sudfeld. The other big name in the competition is transfer junior Richard Lagow.
Wilson said he has only been able to watch Lagow throw a few times in the winter, but he has caught up quickly from a conditioning standpoint.
Wilson also mentioned freshman Austin King and sophomore Donovan Hale as people who are competing.
“They are going to have, I think, some very good surrounding pieces,” Wilson said. “So to me, their ability to understand what we want and be an extension of what Coach Johns and myself are trying to have them do.”
Camion Patrick beginning spring at running back
Patrick, a junior who came to IU as a receiver, will be starting the spring at running back. Wilson described him in the fall as the best player on the team.
This change in position came about during Patrick’s time on the scout team last season as he had to sit out the season for academic reasons. IU was preparing for Ohio State, and Patrick mimicked the play of Braxton Miller to prepare the IU defense.
“He was basically playing wildcat,” Wilson said. “And he was very, very natural running with the football.”
Patrick is listed at 6-foot-2, 223 pounds, and Wilson said the junior is instinctive with the ball in his hands. Wilson also said the team isn’t devoid of running backs and the move is a credit to receivers like junior Simmie Cobbs Jr., senior Ricky Jones and several other receivers providing depth to that area.
Other injured players
In addition to the injury of Diamont, several other players will be out for the spring.
Junior safety Chase Dutra will remain out for spring due to a Lisfranc injury that held him from IU’s appearance in the Pinstripe Bowl. Sophomore defensive back Zeke Walker is also out with the same injury.
Sophomore defensive back Donovan Clark, who played in much of the 2014 season then missed the entirety of 2015 with a back injury, will not participate in spring practice.
Sophomore receiver Dominique Booth had an operation on his wrist last fall and is still not ready to play. Junior receiver Isaac Griffith suffered a torn ACL last season and will remain out of spring practice.
Lastly, sophomore safety Jameel Cook will return to practice after spring break.
Position shuffling
Last summer in training camp, freshman running back Devonte Williams was moved to cornerback to help a young secondary without much experience.
But this offseason, Williams told the staff he would like to switch back to running back. Wilson said Williams can be useful in the reverse, fly-sweep perimeter running game, an offensive facet the Hoosiers were lacking lately.
Similarly, sophomore Leon Thornton spent most of his freshman season at receiver before switching to defensive back after several injuries in the secondary. Unlike Williams, Thornton wanted to stay at defensive back this spring.
Offensive line moving forward
Wilson said the coaching staff named the offensive line as the No. 1 position group on the team during the offseason. But that group will have to replace All-American left tackle Jason Spriggs as well as center Jake Reed.
Sophomore Brandon Knight has been one player to watch as Spriggs’ replacement. Knight came to IU as an offensive tackle but spent time at tight end as well. Wilson said they are asking Knight neither to lose nor gain weight or to choose a position yet, but he spoke fondly of him on the line.
“Brandon Knight’s probably our best left tackle right now,” he said.
In terms of replacing Reed, Wilson said he expects senior Wes Rogers to be the starter.
All-American senior right guard Dan Feeney took some snaps at center and right tackle but is still a guard, Wilson said.
Rogers and senior guard Jacob Bailey represent the kind of players that have not been typically listed as starters but have plenty of experience starting. Wilson also mentioned sophomore tackle Tim Gardner, who he said hasn’t done anything wrong but hasn’t played much because of the depth.
