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Nebraska Football: Why the Huskers Don’t Need Malik Zaire

By Brandon Cavanaugh

Sep 4, 2016; Austin, TX, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback Malik Zaire (9) leaves the field after Texas defeated Notre Dame 50-47 in double overtime at Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 4, 2016; Austin, TX, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback Malik Zaire (9) leaves the field after Texas defeated Notre Dame 50-47 in double overtime at Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports /
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Never shy about their opinions, Nebraska football fans do feel the need to be exceptionally helpful when a big opportunity comes around. Notre Dame quarterback Malik Zaire announced his intentions to leave and will be immediately available as a graduate transfer. While plenty of Big Red fans want him, Nebraska doesn’t need him.

I know what some of you are thinking. “Take every major talent you can get! He’s a dual-threat quarterback like Tommy Armstrong!”

Well, the thing about that is while Zaire is a quality talent, he’s not meant for the Huskers. More specifically, he’s not meant for Mike Riley.

That doesn’t mean he won’t be across the line of scrimmage from the Blackshirts next year, though. Both Michigan State and Wisconsin are prime candidates for his services, but who’s to say Zaire is Russell Wilson 2.0? The juice simply doesn’t seem worth the squeeze.

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Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports /

While it might be fun to have another quarterback with major wheels for a year, it’s time to turn the page.

There’s a reason Tanner Lee was brought to Lincoln to play Nebraska football. There’s a reason Patrick O’Brien and Tristian Gebbia were recruited to study under Danny Langsdorf.

Has it been fun to see the likes of Taylor Martinez and Armstrong run for massive amounts of yardage? Sure. How many times have we rewatched the 92-yard scamper by Martinez from the 2012 Big Ten Championship?

The problem is that game ended up being lost 70-31. If Riley wants to put 62-3 in the rear view mirror when Ohio State visits Lincoln next season or not invite Iowa while nursing hobbled quarterbacks, his system must be a go in year three.

The pro-style offense he looks to implement complements a quarterback that can check down and make reads. Throughout his Nebraska career, Armstrong’s shown that’s not a strong suit and Martinez put “YOLOBomb” into casual Cornhusker fans’ vocabularies. No. 4 will leave Nebraska with a litany of records and he’ll always be remembered as a tough son of a gun. Rightfully so, too.

Lee, O’Brien, Gebbia, these are the names of Nebraska’s future.

It’s not that Zaire isn’t good enough, but Mike Riley’s working to finish his own puzzle as the Huskers’ head coach.

Zaire is a piece that simply doesn’t fit.

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