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

[Luckylucci]

The biggest one that jumps out to me by memory was a 4th-and-short. I got faked out watching the game, and I think the camera guy did too, but it appeared that Malik handed it to Folston, and Folston jumped through a gap in the LOS for what appeared to be a big first down and possibly more... but Malik had actually kept it, and got brought down in the backfield. More reps as #1 and these things will flow smoothly (hopefully).

Yep, that was the biggest one of the game but there were a few others as well. It wouldn't surprise me if they have and will coach him up on this heavily knowing he's the guy now.

 

[Irish Insanity]

That, and he clearly knows how to protect himself at the end of runs, as well. He knows how to limit the damage he's taking while he works for extra yards at the end of plays. His physical makeup helps, but his mental awareness will also help limit the wear-and-tear other QB's might experience.

You got all that from his very limited time on the field? Man you're good.

*just being a smart ass

 

[IrishLion]

You got all that from his very limited time on the field? Man you're good.

*just being a smart ass

BACK OFF MAN U R RLY DUMB.

But seriously, I still have nightmares of Crist standing straight up on runs and just taking direct hits without so much as bracing himself to absorb some of the contact, and of Golson doing not-smart things with the ball at the end of plays as he was being tackled... Between Rice, USC, LSU, and the spring game, I've seen enough to know that Zaire finishes runs like an actual ball-carrier, and not a clueless QB.

 

[irishfan]

BACK OFF MAN U R RLY DUMB.

But seriously, I still have nightmares of Crist standing straight up on runs and just taking direct hits without so much as bracing himself to absorb some of the contact, and of Golson doing not-smart things with the ball at the end of plays as he was being tackled... Between Rice, USC, LSU, and the spring game, I've seen enough to know that Zaire finishes runs like an actual ball-carrier, and not a clueless QB.

Not sure if Crist running upright is worse than Golson and his 4.7 speed on his 190-lb frame trying to juke his way through a secondary just knowing the hit and fumble from behind is coming....at least Malik runs with a purpose and seems to know that the sideline is his friend.

 

[jspags10pg]

How effective was the offense when they scored 7 on UGA? or 23 on Mississippi State and 20 on KSU? When teams were able to stop them on the ground, they lost. Thats the definition of 1 dimensional. You stop what we're good at and we have nothing else.

The reality is if we want to make the playoffs or a big time bowl game, we can't have games like those above because we'll lose like they did and won't be there in the end.

Lastly, to the bolded, nobody is saying he can't or won't but if he is running the ball that many times it more than likely means we aren't having success throwing the ball because BK isn't going into this season with the thought that our QB is running the ball that many times/game. Could there be a game or games where its needed, yes but it won't be by choice because we're having so much success other places.

I agree and wasn't saying you're someone who says Zaire can't make plays throwing the ball...but there are definitely a few here who think he's Tony Rice's clone throwing the ball and that just isn't the case.

And I knew you'd bring up the 7 against UGA haha. But that's why I agreed that multi-dimensional is best. Just saying that having a very good run game can still be effective even if it is your only reliable option. That same one dimensional offense got them within seconds of a National Title the year before and put up 44 on Bama last year. And the UGA game was also a product of them shooting themselves in the foot with turnovers and falling behind early.

But it all comes back to your point of being one dimensional, which I (and any other rational mind) would certainly agree, is not ideal. If they weren't so one dimensional maybe they could have made a come back against UGA throwing the ball. But their only option with Marshall was to run and maybe get lucky with a few bombs to some good receivers.

All in all, I agree with you. But Auburn's offense is pretty darn good...and more importantly to someone who doesn't really care about their success, it's a lot of fun to watch. And their offense should be even better this year with a QB who can throw it a lot better than Marshall.

 

[Irish#1]

The key is going to be MZ carrying it just enough to keep the defenses honest and then taking what they give him. I have to believe that the staff will work with him on when to go down and when to fight for the extra yardage because all it will take is one good pop from the blindside.

 

[ND NYC]

don't want MZ playing "not to get hurt".

that's when you get hurt.

let it rip kid

 

[Luckylucci]

don't want MZ playing "not to get hurt".

that's when you get hurt.

let it rip kid

Don't take this personally but that has nothing to do with how many times a game he carries the ball. He can play aggressive and smart without having to carry 20/game. Some of this will come with the development of his passing game.

 

[ND NYC]

Don't take this personally but that has nothing to do with how many times a game he carries the ball. He can play aggressive and smart without having to carry 20/game. Some of this will come with the development of his passing game.

agree.
if he is running (by design) more than even 10 times a game I will question BK playcalling. (scrambling off designed/busted pass plays don't count). when they call his number to run, he needs act like an RB...

 

[Luckylucci]

agree.
if he is running (by design) more than even 10 times a game I will question BK playcalling. (scrambling off designed/busted pass plays don't count). when they call his number to run, he needs act like an RB...

I guess I still differ on this topic. If its early in the game and say a 3rd and 4, we run a QB keeper thats stuffed up the middle so Zaire bounces it to the outside where he can either lower his shoulder and take on an LB for the 1st down or step out of bounds. I'll take the punt and live to fight another day. Knowing that if he's concussed/blows out shoulder and we lose him for that game and maybe more, that puts us in a much deeper hole than just punting.

In that same situation if Folston didn't put his head down for the first, I'd bench him as its a completely different scenario if the two respective players get hurt.

 

[stlnd01]

Hopefully he's a better passer in September than he was in December (I agree he's got a cannon, but needs work on intermediate passes). If he is, and with our RBs, he won't be running more than 10 designed runs a game. And he won't need to.

 

[SaltyND24]

(Bump) On campus for reunion weekend here at ND and caught Malik outside of Legends. Kid is going to be a monster and with our stable of running backs is going to be wearing the defense out late in games. Well put together and SKRONG!

 

[gkIrish]

(Bump) On campus for reunion weekend here at ND and caught Malik outside of Legends. Kid is going to be a monster and with our stable of running backs is going to be wearing the defense out late in games. Well put together and SKRONG!

Wish I could be there. Getting depressed seeing everyone post pictures of the dome. I'll do the 10 year though.

 

[md_bennett]

(Bump) On campus for reunion weekend here at ND and caught Malik outside of Legends. Kid is going to be a monster and with our stable of running backs is going to be wearing the defense out late in games. Well put together and SKRONG!

 

[BobbyMac]

235lbs of bad intentions.

.

 

[greyhammer90]

Wish I could be there. Getting depressed seeing everyone post pictures of the dome. I'll do the 10 year though.

Are you allowed to post again?

 

[ulukinatme]

Are you allowed to post again?

Hope so, lets do the happy dance

[EDIT] Apparently GK has been back for a week, but he's mostly been posting in the GoT thread:

http://www.irishenvy.com/forums/lep...f-you-have-read-all-books-31.html#post1541677

Yeah there's 45 minutes left till my ban is over but Jon has me feeling like a badass so yeah.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wQKKj_qeOBQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[gkIrish]

Are you allowed to post again?

Yes sir!

 

[ThePiombino]

Yes sir!

Welcome back!

 

[Bogtrotter07]

This is good! Hey, GK!

 

[GBdomer]

GK why did you leave?

 

[ulukinatme]

GK why did you leave?

He lost an unfortunate Super Bowl bet...blame Pete Carrol and his goal line decisions. I do.

 

[kmoose]

(Bump) On campus for reunion weekend here at ND and caught Malik outside of Legends. Kid is going to be a monster and with our stable of running backs is going to be wearing the defense out late in games. Well put together and SKRONG!

Theirs or ours?

 

[irishfan]

He lost an unfortunate Super Bowl bet...blame Pete Carrol and his goal line decisions. I do.

Carroll screwed up long before the goal line call, too. They called a timeout with 1:50 left with the clock stopped on 2nd and 10. They called another timeout after the miracle Kearse catch with 1:06 after he was PUSHED OUT OF BOUNDS. They put on a clinic in how to not run a 2-minute drill.

 

[ResLife Hero]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NotreDame?src=hash">#NotreDame</a> ‘He’s born to be a leader’ - Inside the off-season training of Malik Zaire, whose summer workout... <a href="http://t.co/evghDPeSt3">http://t.co/evghDPeSt3</a></p>— Notre Dame on Scout (@NDonScout) <a href="https://twitter.com/NDonScout/status/608380709254922240">June 9, 2015</a></blockquote>
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In his most recent tour with SNAPP, Zaire got about a month of training focused on keeping him healthy as Brian Kelly plans to put him in the line of fire with his run-first skill set. So Monday to Friday, Zaire would train his core, agility and footwork. Beyond abs, he’d drill his hip area, lower back and gluts. He’d focus on his breathing as a way to find calm during chaos.
“We want to make him as injury proof as we can,” Kirchmer said.
Zaire did almost all this with a football in his left hand. During breaks, he’d work on his pass drops off to the side. The workouts lasted about 90 minutes and ended something called the Big Finish.
For Zaire, that meant pushing a weighted sled 25 yards, followed by a series of lateral jumps over a weight room bench. Then he pushed that sled back another 25 yards, then took a sledgehammer and pounded a tractor tire. Six sets of those movements and Zaire was done, off to throw at various Dayton high schools, sometimes with Michigan State commitment and Elite 11 finalist Messiah DeWeaver.

 

[ulukinatme]

He's the hero we need, but not the one many wanted.

Very excited for the fall, no regrets as long as BK doesn't put it all on his shoulders. Hopefully he'll lean on the OL and the backs instead of calling 40 passing plays.

 

[PANDFAN]

HE'S A SPY TRYING TO HURT MALIK

HE'S A SPY TRYING TO HURT MALIK

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">When you're the starter, everyone is gunning for you... including this guy. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NDFBCamps?src=hash">#NDFBCamps</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/LuckyLefty8">@LuckyLefty8</a> <a href="https://t.co/Daf51mZQxs">https://t.co/Daf51mZQxs</a></p>— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) <a href="https://twitter.com/NDFootball/status/610812139528437761">June 16, 2015</a></blockquote>
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[dshans]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">When you're the starter, everyone is gunning for you... including this guy. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NDFBCamps?src=hash">#NDFBCamps</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/LuckyLefty8">@LuckyLefty8</a> <a href="https://t.co/Daf51mZQxs">https://t.co/Daf51mZQxs</a></p>— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) <a href="https://twitter.com/NDFootball/status/610812139528437761">June 16, 2015</a></blockquote>
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Gotta screen those walk-on/practice team members a little more carefully ...

 

[dublinirish]

Tommy Rees has let himself go

 

[NDdomer2]

haha the kids reaction. "damn did i just throw that"