Debate This: Malik Zaire is your 2016 Quarterback

Malik Zaire will be Notre Dame’s starting quarterback this year.

Here’s why:

Statistics

Getty ImagesNotre Dame’s offense under Malik Zaire was more efficient than it was under DeShone Kizer, if we limit the statistics to each QB’s first 212 snaps. (That’s Zaire’s career total.)

Zaire had 46 snaps in what I’d consider garbage time before starting against LSU in the Music City Bowl. Kizer had 32 snaps against Texas (garbage time) and Virginia (big time) before his first start against Georgia Tech. So since Kizer had more snaps as a starter in the period studied, advantage Kizer, right?

Nope.

Under Malik Zaire, the Irish ran 138 times for 824 yards, a 5.97 yard per play average. Zaire threw 74 times…