I highly recommend listening to the latest episode of Crimsoncast where they have an in depth conversation with Zander Diamont. It was very interesting and informative about his time as a Hoosier in the Wilson era.
Zander Diamont on Crimsoncast
- Thread starter Pazhoosier85
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Yeah, no thanks. He didn’t interest me much as a player and much less so now.
What do you have against Z?
I thought his antics at Pen State were stupid but he paid for that on the field in a big way (head plant and wrecked shoulder)...
He nearly single handily beat "the" O$U until he nearly had his head taken off (out of bounds)...
I like the fact that he supports INDIANA Football and would hope we see more of that type thing from INDIANA Football Alumni...
Love the Cigar after the Oaken Barrel Win photo...
Nothing at all. I just think he was more talk than walk. Sounds like he still is.
I thought Z was good. My impression was he simply wanted other things in life than football.
I listened to it all and it was very revealing. Really appreciated his candor and balanced commentary on Wilson, John’s, Frye and Allen. Caution: don’t let the kiddos listen, Z is pretty salty.
Z punted on his last season because he was convinced Allen would not play him and if that was the case, he wasn’t putting his body/health at further risk as a 170 pound QB.
.... I never saw Z as one who could drink Allen's Kool-Aid for long.
But I liked him...
Most of us might have now come around to Z’s point of view.
That was a helluva interview, a great listen. I can't believe the coaches constantly were riding him about his weight. He was always going to be too small for D1 football. He did well given his lack of size.
STFU - he played his as* off when he played for IU
Why was being small and unable to gain weight Zander's effing problem? Where were the dieticians, nutritionists and the strength and conditioning staff? Isn't it their jobs to get a player's body ready?
Inaccurate!
In the podcast, Zander indicated that he was having physical symptoms (from medium level hits) that indicated he should step away. This was in the middle of Wilson’s last season.
He also described his difficulty adding weight to his frame. He claims to have topped out close to 170 lbs. In short, he recognized the NFL was not an option given his frame, and he had taken enough hits. His decision to call it quits, according to the podcast, was made prior to Allen’s promotion to head coach.
Zander is articulate, which makes his “salty” language inexcusable.
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Zander was always a late reach because KW held out too long waiting on a kid that was never coming (a common theme).
But who here cannot appreciate the gimmick that was Bacon and Legs…a left handed FB/QB at QB and an undersized DT QB at RB??!
I enjoyed this interview and people need to lighten up on language as I expected Zander to be swearing like a Marine based on some descriptions. People swear and if you don't want to hear it stay off of pod cast.
I went from not ever swearing before going into the Marines. I would come home and not swear due to my parents and go back to base swearing like a Marine. I learned not to be offended by swearing.
I went from not ever swearing before going into the Marines. I would come home and not swear due to my parents and go back to base swearing like a Marine. I learned not to be offended by swearing.
I saw him walking through the facility one time - I would not have picked him out to be a football player. Pretty skinny and fragile-looking.
But the kid was fast and gave it all on the field. His pic with the cigar and Bucket is a classic.
I liked him too, although his only upside as a QB was his moxie.
Sometimes that's all it takes...
I like QBs with a bit of moxie. He was like “ Yeah, I’m a twig. Come catch me, m-f’rs”
I’m okay with that 😎
Definitely.. What he did in the home game v. OSU was amazing. I just wish he had had some talent. He was small, quick but not fast, and had no arm.
Thanks for posting that. One of the best interviews of any genre I've heard.
Interesting to me was how blown away he was by the IU campus. I know we all feel that way, but it's interesting how others see it.
I really hope Zander can find a way to get involved with IU football - I think he's really aching to do that. He's a team guy and would be a great ambassador. I really think he'd make a great coach - as much as he clashed with Wilson, I think he and Wilson both take an analytical approach to the game and he learned that from Wilson.
Really too bad about how Trey Roberson was handled. It's kind of good to know even the players think that was a screwed up situation.
He had an arm and proved it in his play. He wasn't asked to throw a lot, but he was an effective thrower when he did.
That's the same old canard about Peyton Ramsey and is just ridiculous.
I don't understand why Wilson recruited him and gave him crap about having a smaller frame. It is kind of like buying M&M's and being upset that they are chocolate.
He was fast enough to outrun the entire Ohio State defense.
Zander has great stories to tell about his playing days. As frustrated as he is about not being given a chance to win, he remains devoted to IU. AD has to find a way to harness his enthusiasm.
I hate that photo, but it’s what makes the Bucket great.
I appreciated Zander and what he got out of that frame. "Moxie" as others have posted here. He had a less than average BIG arm but was fast and smart. I also respect that he knew his future was off the field and got out before that was potentially compromised.
Besides...Anybody that has Adam Sandler making vids about them is ok in my book.
Peanut butter M&M's are basically crack. I can't stop eating them once I start.
Zander gave it all for IU and contributed however he could to the program. It sounds like Wilson eventually recognized this and respected him. The Michigan State bubble screen play call story was pretty cool.
Agreed.
I thought it was a solid podcast.
Pretty insightful stuff. I found his view on the offensive playcalling to be very interesting.
I found the comment by Zander stopping by IU and a coach “who was a former Michigan running back” closed the door on him, very amusing.
Also interesting that Zander had some contact with Allen (texts) following his IU career considering they probably didn’t have much interaction in 2016.
I found his comment regarding the offensive scheme for the Foster Farms bowl interesting. In Zander’s opinion, we completely went away from our core offense that worked during the year.
I would suspect that was Kevin Johns? I don’t see Allen being involved with the offense unless he told him some overall philosophy prior to the game.
Also interesting that Zander had some contact with Allen (texts) following his IU career considering they probably didn’t have much interaction in 2016.
I found his comment regarding the offensive scheme for the Foster Farms bowl interesting. In Zander’s opinion, we completely went away from our core offense that worked during the year.
I would suspect that was Kevin Johns? I don’t see Allen being involved with the offense unless he told him some overall philosophy prior to the game.
I’d bet Hollywood could scout Hollywood-area players, and use his Hollywood contacts to help with Hollywood-level NIL-related videos.
By that evening, Zander's celebratory photo had elevated itself to viral status as the salt in Purdue's festering wound. What's not to like about that?
For someone who was never intended to be more than an insurance policy as a backup QB, I think he handled himself quite well, given his physical attributes of less than stellar football proportions. As a face-man of Hollywood genetics, he could have traveled so many other directions, all tickets written. Xander is probably IU's best looking male athlete since Spitz and Hillman.
Being a man of considerable good looks myself, I can honestly say that most handsome men would like to be acknowledged for our accomplishments rather than our extraordinary good looks.
Then it's a tougher road having to travel with face than what I ever could imagine, this plight of "lady's man".
It’s more curse than blessing for sure. I never get no rest.
Don't think I ever saw her. I remember Colin Hartman's mom was pretty hot.
Before they ruined the tailgate area on the west side of AH, I set up there and there were several families of FB players also set up there.
Let's just say it was an impressive gene pool.
