There’s a limited sample size for Malik Zaire, but it still comes with a big endorsement.
That comes straight from the top. Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly released this statement through director of football media relations Michael Bertsch after Everett Golson announced his intention to transfer Thursday:
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“We, of course, have approached our preparations for the upcoming season with this possibility in mind. The emergence of Malik Zaire, based on his performance in the Music City Bowl over LSU, and throughout spring practice, has given our staff supreme confidence that he can lead our team to great success in 2015.”
What should you know about Zaire?
That sample is nice
Zaire, a 6-1, 210-pound redshirt sophomore, won the job this spring, but he took the lead in that 31-28 victory against LSU in the Music City Bowl.
In his first start, Zaire finished 7-of-9 passing for 72 yards with 12 rushes for 61 yards and three first-half touchdown drives. He finished 12-of-15 passing with 192 total yards and led a game-winning field-goal drive. He added 96 rushing yards.
Dual-threat action
Zaire is a good fit in Kelly’s scheme. He totaled 1,990 passing yards, 1,120 rushing yards and 33 total TDs as a senior at Archbishop Alter High School (Kettering, Ohio). Zaire is the best running quarterback under Kelly in South Bend.
Zaire’s arm is for real
Ohio State’s Cardale Jones might have the longest arm in college football, but Zaire isn’t far behind. Look at this 68-yard touchdown the lefty threw to Will Fuller in the spring game, a ball that traveled at least 60 yards in the air.
It’s about turnovers
Golson committed 22 turnovers last season, a trend that contributed four-game losing streak at the end of the regular season for the Irish in 2014.
Zaire must protect the ball, and he doesn’t necessarily have to put up monster numbers. Consider the production of Notre Dame’s quarterbacks in the Kelly era:
2014: 277-of-463, 59.8 percent, 3,711 yards, 30 TDs, 13 INTs
2013: 226-of-429, 52.7 percent, 3,313 yards, 27 TDs, 13 INTs
2012: 226-of-388, 58.2 percent, 2,896 yards, 14 TDs, 8 INTs
2011: 302-of-473, 63.8 percent, 3,284 yards, 21 TDs, 17 INTs
2010: 285-of-481, 59.3 percent, 3,290 yards, 28 TDs, 16 INTs
The Irish went to the BCS championship game in 2012, the only season with less than 10 interceptions. Zaire just needs to make good decisions.
Irish in business
Remember, the Irish were 7-0 before the heart-breaking loss to Florida State last season. That also might have led to the late-season skid. Zaireshould come in with confidence as the undisputed starter, and Notre Dame will open as a fringe Top 10 team in the polls.
September tests against Texas and Georgia Tech should be fun, but the three-week stretch in October at Clemson and at home against Navy and USC will tell the tale.
The starting job at Notre Dame still is one of the toughest in all of college football. Is Zaire ready for it? At the very least, we know he has Kelly’s endorsement.
That’s a start, right?