'13 OH QB Malik Zaire (Notre Dame Early Enrollee)

[Bogtrotter07]

A few thoughts:

1: Only way Zaire speaking up "divides the locker room" is if there are others in the locker room who actually think he's a better starting QB than Golson. Which seems unlikely.

2: If he were to transfer he'd be an even bigger pussy than Kiel. He came in knowing that Golson had at least two years remaining and that he was going to have to earn a starting job. And that was with the #1 QB recruit in the class ahead of him also on the depth chart. Only thing that's changed is the Kiel's out of the way, and Golson is now one academic/ethical slip-up away from permanent separation from the university. I'd say Zaire's in pretty good shape for playing time, and could be the presumptive starter a year from now. Where's he going to get a better situation than that?

3: Ergo: he's not going to transfer.

4: I know it's a long off-season and we all need to talk about something, but different kids have different ways of motivating themselves and discussing that motivation (see also: Greg Bryant). Maybe we shouldn't read too much into a few comments in an interview?

5: Kelly may have slipped up in talking publicly about "his guys" back in 2011. But he wasn't wrong, was he? Once he got that team pulling in the same direction, they turned out OK. And say what you want about his teams but they've never shown any signs of quitting. He handles the locker room stuff pretty well.

There is so much pointless speculation and inaccuracy in these threads. I mean there has to be some basis of fact underlying them.

When Zaire came in to ND, Golson had three years remaining. His suspension cost him a year and now he has two more. So it was three years, not two.

Golson's problem was never as much seeing the field, (more than it is for any 5'10" man), hell his vision was always one of his best attributes, that is why UNC wanted him as a point guard for their basketball program. His problem has been with the speed of the game and with his progressions, and for that matter knowing what his receivers are doing. There was a big long, tiring back and forth by someone who knows a little bit about it, contrasting the vision of Golson and Zaire with someone like Miller from tOSU, or even Denard.

Instead a useful conversation would be about what advantages Kelly will have with three than four quarterbacks that fit his mold as opposed to, zero, or one-half.

 

[Irish#1]

Who hit the panic and speculation buttons? lol

It's very simple.
1. Zaire is a competitive kid.
2. He works hard to be the best.
3. He wants to start (like everyone else).
4. He has the confidence in himself.
5. Like every year, BK is giving the QB's a fair shake to earn the starting position.
6. MZ is just stating his goal.

 

[EuropeanDomer]

There is so much pointless speculation and inaccuracy in these threads. I mean there has to be some basis of fact underlying them.

When Zaire came in to ND, Golson had three years remaining. His suspension cost him a year and now he has two more. So it was three years, not two.

Golson's problem was never as much seeing the field, (more than it is for any 5'10" man), hell his vision was always one of his best attributes, that is why UNC wanted him as a point guard for their basketball program. His problem has been with the speed of the game and with his progressions, and for that matter knowing what his receivers are doing. There was a big long, tiring back and forth by someone who knows a little bit about it, contrasting the vision of Golson and Zaire with someone like Miller from tOSU, or even Denard.

Instead a useful conversation would be about what advantages Kelly will have with three than four quarterbacks that fit his mold as opposed to, zero, or one-half.

Are you saying that his vision is one of his best attributes only because he was a PG? That's not a great analogy to defend his field vision AS A FOOTBALL PLAYER.

And it was not one of his best attributes, in fact, for Chad Simmons, among others (espn), his field vision was his biggest area for improvement.

Even in some profiles of Eifert as an NFL prospect, they realized about that.

If Notre Dame quarterback Everett Golson had better field vision, Eifert could have had an even bigger game against the Boilermakers. The senior tight end was constantly getting open, and there were many plays that Everett could've had big gains if he threw the ball to his big tight end

This is a perfect example: Notre Dame/Stanford 2012 - Everett Golson Missed Reads - YouTube

And, in his best game against Wake Forest, the own Mike Mayock said the same thing. It's just too obvious.

 

[goldandblue]

Every quarterback has great field of vision their first year starting.... WTF... He will improve.

 

[IrishLion]

Problem with Golson is not how he runs the option or his arm, is his inability to see the field. His field vision is terrible and that leads to missed reads and bad, really bad progressions (Kaep says hi). He is just a one-read Quarterback who also lacks anticipation and always throws too late. His arm talent is incredible but his football IQ on the field is pretty bad. He is a shorter Braxton Miller with a more talented arm. But you can be a great college QB even with this flaws. I'm sure Zaire can be a better Quarterback and probably a better NFL prospect but Golson is the starter and he will be a good one even being a limited QB.

So do you think that perhaps a guy who has only played in 11 games can improve upon these things?

Or is he simply destined to be a "shorter Braxton Miller" who can only make "one-read"?

 

[EuropeanDomer]

So do you think that perhaps a guy who has only played in 11 games can improve upon these things?

Or is he simply destined to be a "shorter Braxton Miller" who can only make "one-read"?

Yes, I think he can improve in that area, of course. And the Braxton Miller comp is not in a bad way, on the contrary, you can have a heck of a college career being a one, two-read QB.

 

[IrishLion]

Yes, I think he can improve in that area, of course. And the Braxton Miller comp is not in a bad way, on the contrary, you can have a heck of a college career being a one, two-read QB.

Fair enough, but I have a hard time believing that BK is going to settle with a one or two read QB. If he didn't think Golson could go through a progression more advanced than that, he wouldn't have started him in 2012. BK wants the vert-based offense still, and Tony Pike wasn't settling with just his second read very often at UC. And having success as a limited-read QB is different for a guy like Braxton Miller, who is in a much different variation of the spread.

I think Golson would have jumped miles ahead last year in terms of the passing game and some of the complexities had he not been suspended. Hell, as has been noted countless times around here, his best game in terms of "commanding" the offense might have been Bama... he was the lone bright spot. He had time to prepare and made the proper reads. It helped that Bama didn't have to get too complex once they built a lead, but Golson still showed up. I think it was a sign of what's to come.

 

[Cackalacky]

I have no doubt we will have two prepared QBs heading into fall.

 

[Veritate Duce Progredi]

And Zaire has a strong desire to be great, do not be surprised if he transfers next year. He is just competitive and wants to play. I understand him if he transfers. He is great and deserves a chance to play, if not here, somewhere else. Big fan of him.

I have to laugh at this: Zaire's desire to be great could lead him to transfer to another school and he would gain what? He'd have to sit out a year, the same year he could be called into duty or could take the reigns fully after Golson moves on.

He would gain absolutely nothing by transferring. He'd lose the year, he'd be going to a new system and most likely, he'd be transferring to a less publicized university.

Anywhere he goes, he'll have competition. If he's good enough, he'll play this year. He'll force Kelly to put him in for a series. He'll force Kelly's hand in the redzone.

Zaire is a competitor, that's where we agree but he's also smart and likely understands that transferring offers him absolutely nothing.

 

[koonja]

LOLOL. I have to laugh at this: Zaire's desire to be great could lead him to transfer to another school and he would gain what? He'd have to sit out a year, the same year he could be called into duty or could take the reigns fully after Golson moves on.

He would gain absolutely nothing by transferring. He'd lose the year, he'd be going to a new system and most likely, he'd be transferring to a less publicized university.

Anywhere he goes, he'll have competition. If he's good enough, he'll play this year. He'll force Kelly to put him in for a series. He'll force Kelly's hand in the redzone.

Zaire is a competitor, that's where we agree but he's also smart and likely understands that transferring offers him absolutely nothing.

Yeah, there's no merit to him transfering.

Like you said, he's definately playing for ND this year, that's a fact.

After this year, Golson will have only 1 year of elegibility left. Worst case scenario for Malik (and most likely), Golson will start again next year. Malik could transfer and sit out a year after 2014, and be elegible at the same time Golson is done. Or he could stay in the system, get some reps, and take over as a Junior with 2 seasons to be the man.

Even if Golson starts the next two years, it would not make 1 game's worth of difference for Malik to transfer after this year. It would make no sense.

 

[ND NYC]

Zaire is the last Irish QB to score a TD (Final play of the spring game last year).

but i think we can all agree NIX was the best looking QB that day.
His QB rating was off the charts.
his pre snap read, vision and intricate knowledge of the playbook allowed him to calm the crowd, call an audible out of the irish choclate play and into his TD run based on his quick analysis of the defense, what they were showing.
at some point guys just get it at qb. NIX had it all.
IMO BK wasted his talents on the d line.



Welcome to Spring!!

 

[NCND]

LOLOL. I have to laugh at this: Zaire's desire to be great could lead him to transfer to another school and he would gain what? He'd have to sit out a year, the same year he could be called into duty or could take the reigns fully after Golson moves on.

He would gain absolutely nothing by transferring. He'd lose the year, he'd be going to a new system and most likely, he'd be transferring to a less publicized university.

Anywhere he goes, he'll have competition. If he's good enough, he'll play this year. He'll force Kelly to put him in for a series. He'll force Kelly's hand in the redzone.

Zaire is a competitor, that's where we agree but he's also smart and likely understands that transferring offers him absolutely nothing.

Ha. I had a freakin dream that he transferred to Ohio State.

 

[Bogtrotter07]

Are you saying that his vision is one of his best attributes only because he was a PG? That's not a great analogy to defend his field vision AS A FOOTBALL PLAYER.

And it was not one of his best attributes, in fact, for Chad Simmons, among others (espn), his field vision was his biggest area for improvement.

Even in some profiles of Eifert as an NFL prospect, they realized about that.



This is a perfect example: Notre Dame/Stanford 2012 - Everett Golson Missed Reads - YouTube

And, in his best game against Wake Forest, the own Mike Mayock said the same thing. It's just too obvious.

Are we confusing vision with reads and progression?

I have no doubt we will have two prepared QBs heading into fall.

Which is the salient point here.

 

[PANDFAN]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Coming together is a beginning; Keeping together is progress; Working together is success. <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23NDRingTeam2014&src=hash">#NDRingTeam2014</a></p>— Malik Zaire (@LuckyLefty8) <a href="https://twitter.com/LuckyLefty8/statuses/474964220552175617">June 6, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[irishff1014]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Coming together is a beginning; Keeping together is progress; Working together is success. <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23NDRingTeam2014&src=hash">#NDRingTeam2014</a></p>— Malik Zaire (@LuckyLefty8) <a href="https://twitter.com/LuckyLefty8/statuses/474964220552175617">June 6, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Sounds like a good teammate

 

[Johannes]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Coming together is a beginning; Keeping together is progress; Working together is success. <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23NDRingTeam2014&src=hash">#NDRingTeam2014</a></p>— Malik Zaire (@LuckyLefty8) <a href="https://twitter.com/LuckyLefty8/statuses/474964220552175617">June 6, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The more we get to know Malik, the more I find myself wanting the absolute best for him. He is going to be the heart of this team going forward, I just know it.

 

[#1rish]

Kid's got a heart of a warrior. Fully expecting him to keep Golson on his heels this year.

 

[wizards8507]

Kid's got a heart of a warrior. Fully expecting him to keep Golson on his heels this year.

Or on his butt, amirite?

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S III using Tapatalk 4

 

[IrishBlood81]

Or on his butt, amirite?

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S III using Tapatalk 4

You are totes right! I'm a MaZaliever (believer) he'll start *ducks from debris thrown*.
#MalikForHeisman

 

[ResLife Hero]

You are totes right! I'm a MaZaliever (believer) he'll start *ducks from debris thrown*.
#MalikForHeisman

Regardless of who starts this year or any year, I really hope this doesn't become a thing.

 

[ulukinatme]

You are totes right! I'm a MaZaliever

 

[IrishLion]

You are totes right! I'm a MaZaliever

 

[IrishBlood81]

Regardless of who starts this year or any year, I really hope this doesn't become a thing.

Oh yeah, its trending as we speak

At least I know how to take attention away from saying Malik will start.

 

[NDPhilly]

You are totes right! I'm a MaZaliever (believer) he'll start *ducks from debris thrown*.
#MalikForHeisman

 

[Johannes]

You are totes right! I'm a MaZaliever (believer) he'll start *ducks from debris thrown*.
#MalikForHeisman

 

[ResLife Hero]

Oh yeah, its trending as we speak

At least I know how to take attention away from saying Malik will start.

Gotta be careful man. I could completely seeing one of my friends who lived in Badin bedazzling a T-Shirt with that for a game when we were in school.

 

[IrishBlood81]

Gotta be careful man. I could completely see one of my friends who lived in Badin bedazzling a T-Shirt with that for a game when we were in school.

Whoa for real?
Just for the record, I was completely, totally, absolutely, joking about that. I thought it would get a reaction and a laugh maybe. If you all wouldn't have quoted me thirty times, I'd remove it just so there'd be no chance of a random tween picking up on it and getting it out there. You all are responsible, not I.

But keep these gifs coming...they're hilarious!

 

[Monk]

Predicting Every Projected Top 25 Team's First Loss of 2014 | Bleacher Report

Didn't know where else to put this. I thought this was interesting that they had Zaire as the starting QB. I still think it will be Golson.

 

[Irishman77]

Fall camp will be furious competition!

 

[Bogtrotter07]

Predicting Every Projected Top 25 Team's First Loss of 2014 | Bleacher Report

Didn't know where else to put this. I thought this was interesting that they had Zaire as the starting QB. I still think it will be Golson.

Thanks for grabbing this, but I have to laugh. Our (rated number 17) first loss will be FSU (1). But we beat a bunch of good teams before that, including UNC (number 16)?

Things that make you go, hmmm!