The Florida Gators will start redshirt senior Malik Zaire this week when they travel to Columbia, Missouri to take on the Missouri Tigers.
Zaire will be the third starting quarterback the Gators have used this season.
“This is his opportunity to get this team where it needs to be and not to be satisfied just because he’s the starter,” interim head coach Randy Shannon said. “Today is an opportunity for him to run the offense and understand the expectations that we have for him. This is not a time for him to feel comfortable and feel like he’s made it. We want him to keep grinding and understand that competition is very good.”
Zaire postponed a decision on where he would transfer for months waiting for the SEC to change its transfer rule. He said boldly at media day before the season that he didn’t come to Florida to hold a clipboard. Former head coach Jim McElwain and offensive coordinator decided to go with Feleipe Franks, who started six games but was pulled in three of them.
In limited action this season Zaire has completed 12-of-23 passed for 142 yards.
Zaire missed most of the 2015 season because of a broken ankle and lost his starting job to DeShone Kizer in the 2016 season opener.