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Notre Dame to start Zaire in Music City Bowl

Notre Dame will have a different look under center for its matchup against No. 22 LSU in the Music City Bowl on Tuesday.

The Irish (7-5), who lost the final four games of the regular season, named Malik Zaire starting quarterback in place of redshirt junior Everett Golson.

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Zaire, a redshirt freshman, will make his first career start after not seeing any game action in 2013. He was used primarily as a change of pace rushing threat this season and relieved Golson of his duties in Notre Dame's season finale against USC, throwing for 170 yards on 9-of-20 passing in the lopsided loss. Zaire has also rushed for 91 yards on 11 attempts.

Golson's complicated career at Notre Dame continues after an eventful few years leading the offense in South Bend. As a redshirt freshman in 2012, he guided the Irish to an undefeated regular season and a berth in the BCS National Championship against No. 1 Alabama, a game the Crimson Tide won handily.

Golson was then suspended the 2013 fall semester, also missing the entire season, because of "poor judgement" used when taking a test.

After reinstatement back into the university in December 2013, Golson won the job over Zaire in training camp because of his knowledge of the offense as well as his leadership skills, according to Irish head coach Brian Kelly.

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The 2014 season did not go quite as planned, however, for Golson.

He led Notre Dame to a 6-0 start, but a 31-27 loss to then-No. 2 Florida State in Tallahassee started a 1-5 stretch to close the campaign. Golson started all 12 games and passed for 3,335 yards with 29 touchdowns, but was also a turnover machine, throwing 14 interceptions and losing an additional eight fumbles.

[SportsNetwork.com]

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