Malik Zaire will make his second career start for the Florida Gators when they hit the road this week to take on South Carolina.
Shannon left the starting position pending immediately following the game but announced Monday that Zaire would start his second straight game.
“Still Malik. He didn’t do anything to hurt us. He did a nice job of getting the ball down the field, making some throws and doing some certain things,” Shannon said Monday. “We just have to build on what he’s done and just keep moving forward.”
In his first start of the season Zaire completes 13-of-19 passes for 158 yards. He was efficient, made plays when there was no play to be made and moved the offense well. He, however, was unable to get the offense into the end zone, settling for three field goals. Most notably Florida has first and goal from the two-yard line and ended up kicking a field goal.
“Those are the moments and the plays that we’ve got to make happen as an offensive group. I put that on me,” Zaire said after the game Saturday. “I’ve got to operate better and we’ve got to find a way to get the ball in the end zone.”
Zaire was replaced in the game against Missouri with just over 7 minutes remaining in favor of Feleipe Franks. Shannon said, at that time, they needed a guy to give the offense a spark, which Franks did in a similar way that Zaire sparked a scoring drive late against Georgia.
Ultimately Shannon feels Zaire gives the Gators the best chance to win now.
“He’s not getting us in bad situations. He’s managing the game,” Shannon said of Zaire. “First time playing and starting — really first time playing since, you know, it’s been a long time. So he’s done a good job of doing that, and he’s got to continue to do it.”