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

[koonja]

I think it was because he has that deep, raspy voice! Errbody in the know knows that Dilfer and Koon hit from both sides of the plate. I mean "The Bod Squad", come on!

I don't think Malik ever made the bod squad, and honestly that's probably what's held him back.

I think he's a leader, but a situational leader. He's not an all around leader like I thought he was. HE's a whiner when he's not getting his.

I do think if he was the starter, he'd be considered one of the best leaders of recent memory because of his passion and dedication.

But his leadership is conditional.

 

[zelezo vlk]

I wish Malik nothing but success in life. Let's not kick the kid while he's down

 

[dublinirish]

I don't think Malik ever made the bod squad, and honestly that's probably what's held him back.

I think he's a leader, but a situational leader. He's not an all around leader like I thought he was. HE's a whiner when he's not getting his.

I do think if he was the starter, he'd be considered one of the best leaders of recent memory because of his passion and dedication.

But his leadership is conditional.

still stand by this.

and is a good leader as long as everybody agrees he is the leader. otherwise he is not a good leader.

 

[Veritate Duce Progredi]

I don't think Malik ever made the bod squad, and honestly that's probably what's held him back.

I think he's a leader, but a situational leader. He's not an all around leader like I thought he was. HE's a whiner when he's not getting his.

I do think if he was the starter, he'd be considered one of the best leaders of recent memory because of his passion and dedication.

But his leadership is conditional.

 

[ulukinatme]

I wish Malik nothing but success in life. Let's not kick the kid while he's down

This. It's about to get neggy up in here. I don't care what happened last year about some supposed locker room divide. You wanna blame Malik? Blame the team. The team clearly wasn't well coached last season and it extended far beyond some rumors. People just want to find a scapegoat and they made Malik their target. Whether he was involved in anything or not is irrelevant, the team played like hot garbage regardless and the coaches fucked up the season. Can we not appreciate those that have put their time in during the past and just focus on the pretty good season at hand? I mean damn....Golson didn't catch this much flack and he had a shady departure.

 

[NDohio]

Malik with the classy tweet

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Smh! What. A. Shame. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OnlyLordKnows?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OnlyLordKnows</a></p>— Malik Zaire (@MalikZaire8) <a href="https://twitter.com/MalikZaire8/status/916836136701526016?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 8, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

He also liked this tweet

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Tired of it...can't even tell you how many talented offensive players I have seen come through UF during my time...not a personnel issue.</p>— Bryan Cox Jr (@BEECoxx) <a href="https://twitter.com/BEECoxx/status/916809962805977088?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 7, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

I get that Malik is frustrated, but not a good look.

This. It's about to get neggy up in here. I don't care what happened last year about some supposed locker room divide. You wanna blame Malik? Blame the team. The team clearly wasn't well coached last season and it extended far beyond some rumors. People just want to find a scapegoat and they made Malik their target. Whether he was involved in anything or not is irrelevant, the team played like hot garbage regardless and the coaches fucked up the season. Can we not appreciate those that have put their time in during the past and just focus on the pretty good season at hand? I mean damn....Golson didn't catch this much flack and he had a shady departure.

I don't think MZ's thread would have been bumped with negativity if he hadn't done the above. When you tweet things like this you are often going to receive some backlash.

Also, that is a big reason EG didn't get extra flack after leaving. He has no social media presence and didn't ever tweet about his situation at FSU. Out of sight, out of mind...

 

[NDMIA]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">With little to lose new <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Gators?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Gators</a> interim coach Randy Shannon is shaking a lot of things up - <a href="https://t.co/g7ig9BOImL">https://t.co/g7ig9BOImL</a> <a href="https://t.co/xwvIoGMnqU">pic.twitter.com/xwvIoGMnqU</a></p>— Thomas Goldkamp (@ThomasGoldkamp) <a href="https://twitter.com/ThomasGoldkamp/status/925079454925381633?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 2017</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Really hope Zaire gets a fair shake to actually start some games. The only thing this kid has done is go 3-0 in his career as a starter against LSU, Texas, and Virginia (DeShone stepped in). No drama, has a degree from Notre Dame, give this dude a start Shannon! He’s a winner!!

 

[Luckylucci]

No drama, that’s a massive understatement.

 

[NDMIA]

Name the drama he brought with him? He asked to transfer? Even though we have video proof of Brian Kelly telling Zaire’s parents this was his team when he’s back healthy and he never got another gasp of playing time. Or how he decided to leave because Brian Kelly wanted to play the redshirt sophomore Brandon Wimbush and he decided his 5th season of college football was better off not spent behind another QB (he got that one wrong). Or did he cheat on tests (Golson)? Kick a cop (Rees)? I’d love to know what actual drama he brought to the table because I honestly don’t know

 

[Henges24]

Name the drama he brought with him? He asked to transfer? Even though we have video proof of Brian Kelly telling Zaire’s parents this was his team when he’s back healthy and he never got another gasp of playing time. Or how he decided to leave because Brian Kelly wanted to play the redshirt sophomore Brandon Wimbush and he decided his 5th season of college football was better off not spent behind another QB (he got that one wrong). Or did he cheat on tests (Golson)? Kick a cop (Rees)? I’d love to know what actual drama he brought to the table because I honestly don’t know

There's plenty of info out there that he pretty much split the team in half last year. But I'll let the posters with actual inside sources speak on that one.

 

[NDMIA]

Okay I understand. I just gravitate towards liking a kid until it’s acutally proven that they’ve done something wrong first or gone against the school somehow.

 

[Henges24]

Okay I understand. I just gravitate towards liking a kid until it’s acutally proven that they’ve done something wrong first or gone against the school somehow.

And I think most people that aren't exactly on that side anymore thought the same thing until there were locker room rumblings leaking out. He also had a few tweets/IG posts that were a little immature, too. Kids will be kids.

I'd also like to add that I don't think anyone here DOES NOT want him to succeed.

 

[Luckylucci]

I’d be surprised if Shannon didn’t give Malik a significant shot. I highly doubt Shannon is going to be on staff when the new hire is made, so there is no looking towards the future. Try and win some games right now with an athlete at QB.

 

[Jimmy3Putt]

Malik was tailor made for Long's offense.
Should've stayed.
He'd have played in almost every fourth quarter this year.

 

[IrishFanJMercy]

Malik has looked good at times while here and very bad. He got reps last year and didn't do anything in those games. I think Ian book is a better QB right now than malik was ever here. Idk if it was him being lefty which threw guys off but his passing game never took off

 

[Wingman Ray]

Malik has looked good at times while here and very bad. He got reps last year and didn't do anything in those games. I think Ian book is a better QB right now than malik was ever here. Idk if it was him being lefty which threw guys off but his passing game never took off

Agree. Much more beneficial to get Book PT rather than burn it on someone that would not help ND in the future. BW gets hurt and Book can get ND home. Not so sure about Malik.

 

[IrishLion]

Or did he cheat on tests (Golson)? Kick a cop (Rees)? I’d love to know what actual drama he brought to the table because I honestly don’t know

Golson and Rees had serious fvckups while at ND, which is true "drama."

The difference is that those guys didn't have personalities that divided the team behind the scenes.

It's one thing for certain groups of guys, or even certain classes, to gravitate towards big personalities, like a lot of guys did with Malik. The problem, if you listen to certain people and believe certain sources, is that Malik embraced their support and took it a step further, actively creating a division in the lockerroom when he didn't think he was getting a fair shake... and he did it on two different occasions.

We could go further down the rabbit hole and justify his modest coup in '14, and then discuss how cancerous his attempts at division were in '16, but it would just create more roundabout "but Golson!" arguments.

 

[BobbyMac]

Malik was tailor made for Long's offense.
Should've stayed.
He'd have played in almost every fourth quarter this year.

Was never part of the plan. Malik had no intention on being here this year. This was Wimbush's team to win in 2018.

Malik has looked good at times while here and very bad. He got reps last year and didn't do anything in those games. I think Ian book is a better QB right now than malik was ever here. Idk if it was him being lefty which threw guys off but his passing game never took off

It took off in his 19/22 - 313 yd - 3 TD Texas game in '15.

In his other two games, he played typical Brandon Wimbush football.

 

[koonja]

The more I watch football, the less I care about measurements, speed, arm strength, etc.

The most important thing for a QB is being football smart and reading the defense, having the stones to stay in the pocket without panicking, and throwing an accurate ball.

That's why you see all these 5-start QBs who do little to nothing in the NFL, if they even get there. And that's how you end up with guys like Malik who never really excel, and guys like Finley who we just played, who do excel out of no where.

Malik will never be a good QB. He can't read a defense IMO. He'll have moments where you're like "wow, look at that, if he can do that every play, look out" because he has those measurables you want, but it's fools gold. It's like in golf when you take 3 shitty swings, then hit a good ball. It's not like you all of a sudden "got it", you just got lucky.

Being football smart, reading a defense, checking down quickly, and accuracy are so underrated in CFB. We all want the 6'3" QB who runs a 4.6 and can throw it 80 yards.

 

[Veritate Duce Progredi]

The more I watch football, the less I care about measurements, speed, arm strength, etc.

The most important thing for a QB is being football smart and reading the defense, having the stones to stay in the pocket without panicking, and throwing an accurate ball.

That's why you see all these 5-start QBs who do little to nothing in the NFL, if they even get there. And that's how you end up with guys like Malik who never really excel, and guys like Finley who we just played, who do excel out of no where.

Malik will never be a good QB. He can't read a defense IMO. He'll have moments where you're like "wow, look at that, if he can do that every play, look out" because he has those measurables you want, but it's fools gold. It's like in golf when you take 3 shitty swings, then hit a good ball. It's not like you all of a sudden "got it", you just got lucky.

Being football smart, reading a defense, checking down quickly, and accuracy are so underrated in CFB. We all want the 6'3" QB who runs a 4.6 and can throw it 80 yards.

The 5 star guys simply have no or few limitations but it's wasted if they don't have it between the ears. First and foremost, you want a QB who can go through progressions and anticipate.

 

[Wingman Ray]

And it depends as well on your offense.

Years ago LSU had a QB Jamarcus Russell, who was just a physical specimen. Guy could throw it to the moon. Fortunately for him, he had a running game that was just punishing. So teams had to load the box leaving 1v1 for play action bombs which face it, are the easiest completion after the 3 yard slant pass.

Guy drafted #1 and was a complete bust. Couldnt hardly read from what I recall. 5 star talent, 1 star brain.

 

[IrishLion]

The 5 star guys simply have no or few limitations but it's wasted if they don't have it between the ears. First and foremost, you want a QB who can go through progressions and anticipate.

Still waiting on the ND nerds to gather the technology to transplant Rees' pre-snap ability and post-snap recognition into a superstud body.

 

[GoldenToTheGrave]

The more I watch football, the less I care about measurements, speed, arm strength, etc.

The most important thing for a QB is being football smart and reading the defense, having the stones to stay in the pocket without panicking, and throwing an accurate ball.

That's why you see all these 5-start QBs who do little to nothing in the NFL, if they even get there. And that's how you end up with guys like Malik who never really excel, and guys like Finley who we just played, who do excel out of no where.

Malik will never be a good QB. He can't read a defense IMO. He'll have moments where you're like "wow, look at that, if he can do that every play, look out" because he has those measurables you want, but it's fools gold. It's like in golf when you take 3 shitty swings, then hit a good ball. It's not like you all of a sudden "got it", you just got lucky.

Being football smart, reading a defense, checking down quickly, and accuracy are so underrated in CFB. We all want the 6'3" QB who runs a 4.6 and can throw it 80 yards.

GET TOMMY REES BACK IN UNIFORM ASAP.

 

[ulukinatme]

I'm still trying to figure out, if the rumors are true, why is it Zaire's fault if half the locker room chose to side with him last year? If it was really that many players, seems like it was a team issue and it's hard to blame Zaire for that. If it was just a handful of players that really is a non-issue, is it not? The scapegoating will never end.

 

[GowerND11]

Malik was tailor made for Long's offense.
Should've stayed.
He'd have played in almost every fourth quarter this year.

Was never part of the plan. Malik had no intention on being here this year. This was Wimbush's team to win in 2018.

I think he was making a joke. As in, he would be the backup playing in the 4th quarter...

I'm still trying to figure out, if the rumors are true, why is it Zaire's fault if half the locker room chose to side with him last year? If it was really that many players, seems like it was a team issue and it's hard to blame Zaire for that. If it was just a handful of players that really is a non-issue, is it not? The scapegoating will never end.

Edit: An example of what could have happened is, once it became known that Kizer was the guy for good, he became a bad teammate. If Kizer made a mistake, there he was with his little jabs that he (Malik) wouldn't have done that. Behind the scenes actively getting guys to maybe not buy into the program, things like that. He was playing politics and dividing the house.

 

[BobbyMac]

The more I watch football, the less I care about measurements, speed, arm strength, etc.

The most important thing for a QB is being football smart and reading the defense, having the stones to stay in the pocket without panicking, and throwing an accurate ball.

That's why you see all these 5-start QBs who do little to nothing in the NFL, if they even get there. And that's how you end up with guys like Malik who never really excel, and guys like Finley who we just played, who do excel out of no where.

Malik will never be a good QB. He can't read a defense IMO. He'll have moments where you're like "wow, look at that, if he can do that every play, look out" because he has those measurables you want, but it's fools gold. It's like in golf when you take 3 shitty swings, then hit a good ball. It's not like you all of a sudden "got it", you just got lucky.

Being football smart, reading a defense, checking down quickly, and accuracy are so underrated in CFB. We all want the 6'3" QB who runs a 4.6 and can throw it 80 yards.

False statement. He WAS a good QB up until his injury. Bad luck happens. Windows open, windows close, all you can do is prepare for your next window. When it came, he didn't look good, regardless of the reason. We'll never know what he could have been. The same thing could have happened to Brandon Wimbush had he broken his ankle midway through the 3rd Qtr of the Boston College game and Phil or Book beat him out in '19. He would then be remembered as the sub 50% QB who ran for 100 yds against Temple, 1 yd against UGA and 40 some yards and 2 TO's vs. BC ... and was up just 1 pt when Book took over.

I'm still trying to figure out, if the rumors are true, why is it Zaire's fault if half the locker room chose to side with him last year? If it was really that many players, seems like it was a team issue and it's hard to blame Zaire for that. If it was just a handful of players that really is a non-issue, is it not? The scapegoating will never end.

The fault falls on Kelly. Malik has to continue to push for the job. He was the starter who lost his spot due to injury. But yes, there was obviously some times he did not handle it like he should but that's Kelly's job to keep him & the locker room in order... at all cost, by any means necessary.

I think he was making a joke. As in, he would be the backup playing in the 4th quarter...

I think the problem was, once it became known that Kizer was the guy for good, he became a bad teammate. If Kizer made a mistake, there he was with his little jabs that he (Malik) wouldn't have done that. Behind the scenes actively getting guys to maybe not buy into the program, things like that. He was playing politics and dividing the house.

That's a pretty serious charge, very different from not accepting his role as back-up. The sulking on the sidelines was obvious, some minor stuff that a HC should handle with ease was present but you are charging him with something along the lines of mutiny and sedition. I think that calls for you to share what you know. I followed this pretty closely and I don't remember any charges so damning.

 

[GowerND11]

False statement. He WAS a good QB up until his injury. Bad luck happens. Windows open, windows close, all you can do is prepare for your next window. When it came, he didn't look good, regardless of the reason. We'll never know what he could have been. The same thing could have happened to Brandon Wimbush had he broken his ankle midway through the 3rd Qtr of the Boston College game and Phil or Book beat him out in '19. He would then be remembered as the sub 50% QB who ran for 100 yds against Temple, 1 yd against UGA and 40 some yards and 2 TO's vs. BC ... and was up just 1 pt when Book took over.



The fault falls on Kelly. Malik has to continue to push for the job. He was the starter who lost his spot due to injury. But yes, there was obviously some times he did not handle it like he should but that's Kelly's job to keep him & the locker room in order... at all cost, by any means necessary.



That's a pretty serious charge, very different from not accepting his role as back-up. The sulking on the sidelines was obvious, some minor stuff that a HC should handle with ease was present but you are charging him with something along the lines of mutiny and sedition. I think that calls for you to share what you know. I followed this pretty closely and I don't remember any charges so damning.

I don't have any information. I was giving an example of how Malik could have divided the locker room. Will edit.

 

[BobbyMac]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Malik Zaire named Gators' starting quarterback <a href="https://t.co/FLwV6w7zqV">https://t.co/FLwV6w7zqV</a> <a href="https://t.co/iWsxHL0Ymt">pic.twitter.com/iWsxHL0Ymt</a></p>— Orlando Sentinel (@orlandosentinel) <a href="https://twitter.com/orlandosentinel/status/926122325304664064?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 2, 2017</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[Section20Row27]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Malik Zaire named Gators' starting quarterback <a href="https://t.co/FLwV6w7zqV">https://t.co/FLwV6w7zqV</a> <a href="https://t.co/iWsxHL0Ymt">pic.twitter.com/iWsxHL0Ymt</a></p>— Orlando Sentinel (@orlandosentinel) <a href="https://twitter.com/orlandosentinel/status/926122325304664064?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 2, 2017</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Ok Malik, you got your chance... Now show us what you can do.

 

[ndcoltsfan2010]

Glad he is getting another chance. Hope he can impress and do good things.