Zaire Gets Another Shot to Start for Gators

Gators quarterback Malik Zaire passed for 158 yards -- the most by a UF quarterback since Feleipe Franks threw for 185 in a win over Vanderbilt on Sept. 30 -- to earn another start. (Photo: Tim Casey/UAA Communications)

Zaire Gets Another Shot to Start for Gators

Monday, November 6, 2017 | Football, Scott Carter

Interim head coach Randy Shannon opts to give the graduate transfer from Notre Dame the start Saturday at South Carolina.

By: Scott Carter, Senior Writer

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The decision became clear once Randy Shannon watched game film of Saturday's loss at Missouri.

Malik Zaire would remain Florida's starting quarterback.

"He didn't do anything to hurt us,'' Shannon said. "He did a nice job of getting the ball down the field, making some throws and doing certain things. We just have to build on what he's done."

The Gators returned to practice late Monday afternoon with Zaire running the first-team offense and Feleipe Franks, the starter in six of the first seven games, as the backup. In his starting debut for the Gators, Zaire completed 13 of 19 passes for 158 yards and one interception.

While Franks (7 of 10, 98 yards, 1 touchdown) led Florida to its only touchdown in Saturday's 45-16 loss at Memorial Stadium – he replaced Zaire midway into the fourth quarter and connected with running back Lamical Perine for a 16-yard scoring pass – Zaire moved the offense with some rare consistency. It was Zaire's first start since the first two games of the 2015 season when he was at Notre Dame.

Zaire directed scoring drives of 68, 56 and 68 yards. One problem: all three drives resulted in Eddy Pineiro field goals rather than touchdowns. When the Gators drove 68 yards on 14 plays on their first drive of the second half, Pineiro's 24-yard field goal provided a good start to the half.

However, by that time, Missouri had four touchdowns and the Gators trailed 28-9. The Tigers extended the lead to 42-9 before the Gators finally found the end zone on Franks' pass to Perine.

"We were able to get some points, but we get in this red zone [and] we can't keep getting field goals. We've got to get points,'' Shannon said. "In that opportunity we left 21 points on the table. We got it down to the red zone. Miscues, things like that usually disrupt your momentum in the red zone."

Florida's two most costly offensive miscues came outside the red zone.

First, down 21-3, Anthony Sherrils picked off a pass from Zaire, which gave Missouri the ball at UF's 36. Two plays later, Larry Rountree scored on a 21-yard run. On the Gators' next possession, Zaire hit receiver Tyrie Cleveland for a 40-yard touchdown pass with 2:16 left before halftime. Not so fast. A holding call on left tackle Martez Ivey negated the score and the Gators eventually settled for Pineiro's 36-yard field goal on the final play of the first half.

A lot of fanfare and media coverage accompanied Zaire's transfer to Florida for his final season of eligibility over the summer. In his most extended opportunity with the Gators, Zaire threw for the most yards by a UF quarterback since Franks passed for 185 yards in relief of injured Luke Del Rio in the Gators' 38-24 win over Vanderbilt on Sept. 30.

The Gators had thrown for 309 yards combined in losses to LSU, Texas A&M and Georgia.

"Just being able to be out there with those guys on offense, be able to move the ball and stay on the field for longer than three-and-outs, I think it's a positive we can look at from this game,'' Zaire said. "But at the end of the day it's about how we can stay on the field and put up points. And that's something we didn't do as well as we wanted to."

Zaire appeared in the season-opening loss to Michigan but went five consecutive games without playing until replacing Franks late in a 42-7 loss to Georgia. A day after ex-coach Jim McElwain and the University Athletic Association reached a separation agreement, Shannon named Zaire the starter for the Missouri game.

Offensive lineman Tyler Jordan said Monday that Zaire's progress in his first season with the Gators is evident to those inside the locker room.

"He came in and had to learn a whole new playbook,'' Jordan said. "That's the one thing he's pretty much mastered. He's also taken more of a charge. He came in and didn't really know anybody. Had to meet the whole locker room, get to know them and he's taken more of a leadership role."

Zaire's insertion into the lineup did provide a boost in the big-play department. The Gators managed only one pass play of 20 or more yards in losses to LSU, Texas A&M and Georgia. Zaire connected with receiver Dre Massey for two, one for 37 yards and a 38-yarder.

Massey entered the game with just three catches for 17 yards.

"We've had chemistry, honestly, since he got here,'' Massey said. "He's good at getting the ball out of his hands quick and putting it where it needs to be."

The start was only the fourth of Zaire's career. He arrived at UF in late June with hopes of beating out Franks and Del Rio for the starter's job. Instead, Zaire dropped to third on the depth chart following a shaky performance off the bench against Michigan.

He got a second chance late against Georgia, and after leading the Gators to their only touchdown against the Bulldogs, Shannon opted to give him the start at Missouri.

Shannon said he would continue to evaluate the position on a game-by-game basis and that Franks is not out of the running to start again with the Gators mired in a four-game losing streak heading into Saturday's showdown against the Gamecocks.

Meanwhile, Zaire seeks to deliver the goods to make Shannon's decision easier and easier.

"I want to be able to run the show,'' he said. "I feel comfortable back there. I feel like I give the team the best chance, but I feel like if you don't feel like that you shouldn't even be in the game. I want to help this team get to a bowl game. I want to help this team finish on a positive note, through all the things we've been through, through all the adversity we've been through."