Brandon Dawkins leaves Indiana football program
By admin - 2019-01-28 03:09:14

Quarterback Brandon Dawkins has left the Indiana football team, per Mike Miller of the Herald-Times.

Dawkins transferred to Indiana in the off-season as a graduate transfer, looking to revitalize his once-promising career. While at Arizona, the signal-caller suffered a knee injury that made way for Khalil Tate to take over and shine.

Dawkins came to Indiana to take part in a battle with the incumbent Peyton Ramsey and freshman Michael Penix. Ramsey was awarded the job heading into week one which likely led to Dawkins’ decision.

The quarterback outlook presently unknown for the Hoosiers. With Dawkins gone, Penix would theoretically be second in the depth chart but Indiana has expressed interest in red-shirting the freshman.

Mike Fiacable, a redshirt junior, and Johnny Pabst, a redshirt freshman, are also on the roster and would likely move up a spot with Dawkins’ departure.

Indiana’s official roster has been updated to reflect Reese Taylor’s move from cornerback to quarterback, a switch prompted by Dawkins’ unexpected departure.

After a preseason full of questions and playful subterfuge over Taylor’s role in 2018, the offense-defense tug of war for his services appears to be over, at least for now.

Indiana’s talented freshman and the reigning IndyStar Mr. Football, Taylor will play quarterback going forward, according to IU coach Tom Allen. He could step right away into some of the packages Allen’s offensive staff imagined for Dawkins, who projected as a backup to starting quarterback Peyton Ramsey.

“I see him definitely playing,” Allen said of Taylor. “He’s a guy that I view as a playmaker. You want to get him touching the football.”