Notre Dame’s two quarterback approach to the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl has yielded some contrasting results. After one half of play, sophomore Malik Zaire has been the far more dependable of the two quarterback options, with two touchdowns in the first half. The Irish holds a halftime lead on LSU, 21-14.
Notre Dame also received the benefit of a controversial video review that prevented LSU from scoring a game-tying touchdown just before halftime. Video showed Brad Kragtorpe appeared to break the goal line off a fake field goal run, but officials upheld the call on the field of a fourth down stop for Notre Dame.Ruled, reviewed, and confirmed as “No Touchdown”. Wut? pic.twitter.com/lUPdZgOZkF
— Rob Perez (@World_Wide_Wob) December 30, 2014
Zaire opened the scoring in the first half with a touchdown pass midway through the first quarter with a time-consuming opening drive to the game. Zaire completed a screen pass to Will Fuller on 3rd and short inside the red zone, with Fuller finding room for a 12-yard score to give the Irish the early lead. The score capped a 15-play drive over 66 yards off the opening kickoff. LSU responded with an equally impressive time-consuming possession. Leonard Fournette ran seven yards to score a touchdown at the end of an eight-play drive over 76 yards, with LSU sticking to the ground game for much of the drive.
Zaire added a touchdown run inside the red zone early in the second quarter, but it was Fournette who once again tied things up. He did so in impressive fashion, returning the ensuing kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown to tie the game at 14-14. Notre Dame would reclaim the lead once more minutes later with Tarean Folston rushing six yards for a score and a 21-14 lead.
The play of the two young stars, Zaire and Fournette, has been very entertaining for one half, and we should be getting set for a solid second half of play. Zaire has been out playing his upperclassman counterpart, Everett Golson. Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly has said he intended to play both quarterbacks, but if Zaire continues to play this well, there may be little need to give Golson much more playing time.
