I consider quarterbackย Willie Tuitamaย the most significant Arizona football recruit of the last 15 years.
The quarterback from Stockton, California, delivered the Wildcats and this community from evil โ last place in the Pac-10 โ and was the single biggest factor in keeping Arizona from spiraling into a decade (or more) of bad football.
Before Tuitama became a starter late in his true freshman season (2005) the Wildcats had lost 38 of their last 50 games.
Tuitama set school records in passing yards (8,727) and touchdown passes (67) and to rousing victories over No. 7 UCLA, No. 8 Cal and against No. 17 BYU in the 2008 Las Vegas Bowl, Arizonaโs first bowl appearance in 11 seasons.
In Tuitamaโs sophomore year (2006) Arizona averaged 55,798 fans at Arizona Stadium, a virtual season sellout.
By the time Tuitama left the QB job toย Nick Folesย andย Matt Scott, the Wildcats had restored their reputation as a winning program and regained the communityโs confidence.
Now, all these years later, Arizona is again at pre-Tuitama lows. But itโs possible thatย Rich Rodriguezย has recruited a Tuitama-like program-changer.
When RichRod last week announced that soon-to-be 27-year-old QBย Donavan Tateย of Cartersville, Georgia, will enroll at Arizona, it came off as total desperation. Donavan hasnโt played football since 2008.
The former minor-league outfielder was twice been suspended for substance abuse and treated for addiction issues during his baseball career. He also had a series of injuries: a concussion, an Achilles tear, shoulder problems and a sports hernia.
Why add this man to your football roster?
First, RichRod has little to lose. If Tate is a bust, so what? The San Diego Padres are paying his tuition.
Second, this isnโt new territory for RichRod. He has been a bring-me-your-poor-huddled-masses outlet for bounce-back QBs, among themย Jesse Scrogginsย of USC andย Jerrard Randallย of LSU. Scroggins rarely played; Randall was at times electrifying, rushing for 702 yards in 2015.
There is precedence that this might work, and not just work, but over time revive Arizonaโs football program.
In 1997, Florida State added 26-year-old ex-minor-league baseball playerย Chris Weinkeย to its football roster. He had played six years in the Toronto Blue Jays system. After learning the FSU offense in 1997, completing just seven passes, Weinke became a star, passing for 9,757 yards in three years. He won the Heisman Trophy in 2000.
In 2007, Oklahoma State added 24-year-old ex-baseball playerย Brandon Weedenย to its football roster. He redshirted in โ07 and rarely got off the bench in โ08 and โ09. But in 2010-11, Weeden passed for 9,004 yards and 71 touchdowns. After he turned 27, Weeden led the Cowboys to a 23-3 record.
Tate has a football pedigree; his father,ย Lars Tateย rushed for 71 yards and scored Georgiaโs only touchdown in a 1985 Sun Bowl tie against Arizona. In addition to a pedigree, Donavan Tate now has a second chance.
There are, of course, many variables that must work: Tate must adapt to RichRodโs scheme, stay healthy and walk the straight and narrow.
It could be nothing. Or it could be the football story of the year in Tucson.
