A forgettable 2017 season for the Florida Gators may have just crossed over into the realm of negligence.
During the second quarter of Saturday’s game against South Carolina, Gators quarterback Malik Zaire injured his left knee on a run and had to leave the game. Inexplicably, Florida would put him back in after just one missed snap and called a designed run play for him to boot. The Notre Dame transfer was clearly hurt though and collapsed to the turf untouched after just a few steps.
Really feeling for Malik Zaire
Hurt his leg on a long run, tried to tough through it … pic.twitter.com/OcbpIHR4pT
— Jac Collinsworth (@JacCollinsworth) November 11, 2017
Many on Twitter ripped Florida’s staff for the decision to put Zaire back in.
What are y’all doing, Florida? Why are you putting Zaire back out there like that? Dude is hurt. Stop it.
— Reid Garrett (@JustReidAboutMe) November 11, 2017
SMH Florida really let Malik Zaire go back out with a clearly compromised knee/leg
— SSB d.c.james (@dcjames5) November 11, 2017
That was flat out stupid right there. Guys already hurt and you call another QB run. Don’t understand why he came back in anyway
— Florida Gator Latest (@UFupdates) November 11, 2017
To put Zaire back in the game was questionable. To put him in and call a running play for the quarterback was just dummy.
— Pat Dooley (@pat_dooley) November 11, 2017
That is criminal from Randy Shannon and the UF coaching and training staff. Absolutely insane
— Clarke Walker (@SeeLarke) November 11, 2017
Putting Zaire back in one play after a potentially serious knee injury would be a fireable offense, if, you know, these coaches weren't already halfway out the door.
— Jonathan Arnholz (@JArnholz) November 11, 2017
Zaire, who was replaced by Feleipe Franks for the rest of the game, had been subpar in his previous two starts for Florida. But that certainly doesn’t excuse this show of malpractice by a team that has been an abject disaster this year.
