Notre Dame Football: Fans Vote on Malik Zaire’s Future

Former Notre Dame quarterback, Malik Zaire, is still contemplating where he’ll transfer to, and the fans have given their opinion.

With DeShone Kizer declaring for the NFL draft, Notre Dame fans would have loved Malik Zaire to return to South Bend for his final season. The senior quarterback is sticking to his decision, though, and is narrowing down his options.

Zaire told Scout.com that he plans to make a decision early this week, and his options are North Carolina and Wisconsin. Although the Fighting Irish will play UNC next season, they are losing talent from a team who finished just 8-4.

I’m not saying that Zaire transferring to North Carolina is better for the Irish than him picking Wisconsin, or vice versa. But with Zaire choosing Wisconsin, he could be entering a quarterback battle that’ll cause tension within the Badgers’ locker room.

I’m not the only one who thinks this. Twitter fans have spoken as well. In a poll ran by Slap the Sign, fans voted on which of these two teams they’d rather Zaire choose. The result – A landslide victory for Wisconsin.

At first, it seemed surprising that fans would want to send a starting caliber quarterback to a team who just finished in the top 10. It was understandable that Notre Dame doesn’t want to face Zaire next season. But if hopes are high for the Irish, they could very likely run into the Badgers in the College Football Playoff.

For North Carolina, they won’t be a College Football Playoff level team next season, but they will still compete. They weren’t able to finish in the top 25 this season, and their quarterback is projected to go in the first-round of the 2017 NFL Draft.

It isn’t like the Tar Heels will suddenly become this unstoppable force once Zaire walks on campus.

Then it hit me. Fans are fans first. The respect and love for Zaire will always remain from Irish fans, but as soon as he wears another jersey, he’s considered an enemy. Whether we wish him the best or not, we don’t actually want his team to succeed.

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If Notre Dame finds Wisconsin somewhere in the postseason next year so be it, but it’s better than matching up against him seven weeks into the season.

Hey, we all hope nothing but the best for Malik Zaire. But the best can end with a loss to Notre Dame need be.

Here’s to Zaire’s future success. May he prosper anywhere but against Notre Dame.