The big news in South Bend this spring has been that Everett Golson decided to forego transferring and instead returned to Notre Dame as a fifth-year student-athlete.
Everett Golson Rebuffs Transfer Rumors, Returns To South Bend
However, the guy next to Golson on the quarterback depth chart wants to remind everybody that he's not giving up the starting job without a fight.
"I'm not really competing with anybody but myself at this point," said rising sophomore Malik Zaire, via The News Tribune.
So far head coach Brian Kelly has remained mum on whether either Golson or Zaire has the upper leg in this competition.
"I think he clearly knows he has to go out there and compete every day," was all Kelly said of Zaire.
Everett Golson Benched Days After Coach Kelly Pep Talk
Golson entered 2014 as the de facto first stringer, and held the job for the vast majority of the season. However, he struggled with ball security down the stretch and was eventually benched in the Irish's regular season finale versus USC.
Kelly went with a QB-by-committee approach in the team's Music City Bowl appearance against LSU. Both got a good number of reps but Zaire was the more impressive. He completed 12 of 15 passes for 96 yards and a touchdown. He also rushed for another 96 yards and a touchdown, earning himself the game's MVP.
When asked whether he would be okay sharing snaps with Golson in a similar fashion in 2015, Zaire demurred, saying "there is only one captain to a ship."
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