Wednesday, August 14, 2002
Indiana QB's compete for job
The Associated Press
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Gerry DiNardo tried to play down his first big question as Indiana Hoosiers coach: Who will start at quarterback?
“I think the starting battle will be between Gibran Hamdan and Tommy Jones,” he said. “I think both are healthy now, both know the offense and both deserve a chance.”
The duel between Hamdan and Jones to replace Antwaan Randle El started Saturday, and it's not clear who the favorite is.
Jones opened last season as the starter when former coach Cam Cameron moved Randle El to wide receiver.
He has a strong arm and ideal size for a dropback quarterback: 6 feet 5, 241 pounds.
After a 35-14 loss to North Carolina State, though, Cameron's experiment ended. Randle El moved back to quarterback, Jones back to the bench.
“It's something I don't think about right now,” Jones said. “It's over. I've been told with bad things to forget about them, and with good things remember them so you do them again.”
Jones' bad luck continued into the offseason.
He had surgery on his throwing shoulder and missed part of spring practice. He managed to return for the spring game and said Friday he has recovered fully.
Hamdan, too, is an intriguing prospect. He's 6-6, 240 pounds, strong-armed, like Jones, and more mobile than Jones. He also is considered a possible pick in next year's Major League Baseball draft.
Yet he has thrown just six passes in three seasons with the Hoosiers and says playing first base for IU's baseball team might have limited his football development. He has missed some team meetings and practices each spring.
Still, Hamdan believes he's just as prepared as Jones to lead the Hoosiers this season and intends to make DiNardo's decision difficult.
“I have competed in the Big Ten atmosphere, and I feel as much as it (missing practices and meetings) has hurt me, I've gained a lot of opportunities by playing (baseball),” he said.
oth players appear comfortable waging a battle that might not produce a winner for weeks.
Indiana opens its season Aug.31 at home against William and Mary.
Until then, DiNardo intends to test both players with the starters.
NOTRE DAME: Dublin Coffman High senior quarterback Brady Quinn has orally committed to Notre Dame over Ohio State and Michigan because of his respect for new Fighting Irish coach Tyrone Willingham.
The 6-4, 215-pound Quinn passed for 2,200 yards and 20 touchdowns last season while leading Dublin Coffman to the Division I state semifinals, where it lost 35-14 to St. Xavier.
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Indiana QB's compete for job
