Report: Former Notre Dame QB Malik Zaire heading to Florida next week
After a bit of mystery, it appears that former Notre Dame quarterback Malik Zaire will be transferring to Florida.
Malik Zaire had some strong moments during his time on the field with Notre Dame in recent years. He was a key piece in Notre Dame’s win over LSU to close out the 2014-15 season in the Music City Bowl and then exploded out of the gate two seasons ago with a stellar performance against Texas.
But, after fracturing his ankle in Notre Dame’s come-from-behind victory over Virginia two seasons ago, Zaire’s playing time was limited due to the rise of quarterback DeShone Kizer, who is now with the NFL’s Cleveland Browns via the 2017 NFL Draft.
Zaire looked to finish his college career elsewhere and according to college football insider Bruce Feldman, the lefty has himself a new program to call home.
Spoke to Malik Zaire. He told me he expects to head to #UF on Wednesday & said he's very excited about the opportunity to play in the SEC.
— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) June 4, 2017
After a year with Luke Del Rio — the son of Oakla … er, soon-to-be Las Vegas Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio — and Austin Appleby at the helm for the Gators, Zaire looks to step in and become QB1 for the SEC East Division Champions next season.
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The quarterback position has been a revolving door for the Gators since the days of Tim Tebow leading the Gators to a couple of national titles, but Zaire could come in and make an immediate impact with his ability to make plays with his legs similarly to Tebow. (This isn’t saying Zaire is winning this season’s Heisman Trophy, but you get the idea.)
The SEC is a different beast than Notre Dame’s independent/ACC-based schedule, but Zaire should be used to a big spotlight as a signal-caller with the Irish.
Zaire and the Gators will get a strong test right out of the gate on Sept. 2 in AT&T Stadium when Jim Harbaugh’s Michigan Wolverines look to shake off their heartbreaking end to the 2016 season and start anew.