We finally got to meet some of the Arizona Wildcats’ much-ballyhooed freshman recently. Now you can too.
Leading up to Arizona's season-opener on Saturday against NAU, Star reporters Michael Lev and Zack Rosenblatt will bring you a Q&A with a different newcomer.
Today's subject: quarterback K'Hari Lane, a lightly-recruited, strong-armed quarterback expected to redshirt and spend his freshman season on Arizona's scout team.
BIO BASICS
- Height/weight: 6-1, 245
- Position: Quarterback
- High school: Macon County (Montezuma, Georgia)
- Rating: 3 stars
K'Hari says...
On his nickname (Red Rifle): "My first head coach used to call me that. He felt like I was kinda red, because I was lighter and sometimes I’d turn red. And I had kinda red hair. The rifle is my arm."
On the recruiting process (he didn't have any offers until Arizona's came in February): "I didn’t get down on myself but I was feeling pressure because I was unsure of what I wanted to do. Some people had their opinions on what I should do but I wasn’t really interested in that. They were trying to pressure me into going to schools that I wasn’t ready to make my decision yet. Some people were mad that I was being patient."
On Arizona's interest: "They called me one day when I was working out for Michigan State and just told me they wanted to recruit me. I was just like, let’s see how this goes because nothing is really promised. I came on my visit and liked it here I was just unsure if they was gonna offer me. When I got here they ended up offering me that Sunday.
On Arizona's recruitment: "I’d seen them play but I never really paid attention. I didn’t know much. I was just coming out here looking for something new because I didn’t expect all the stuff (lack of interest) that happened...(With Arizona) it was just: we’re going to recruit you. I didn’t find out until I got here that another guy who was committed here (Braxton Burmeister) and went to Oregon so I was like, hey, things happen for a reason. So that was pretty cool."
On training camp: "It was good. It’s just a learning process. I gotta get the playbook down more and once I get that down I feel like I’ll be able to play like myself. I watch film and try to pick out tendencies of the defense so I can know what to do when I get out there on the field."
On the biggest adjustment to college: "It’s the plays. The speed is not hard to adjust to, you just have to be early on throws and stuff like that. The plays are the most difficult thing because now in college, you’ve got different routes and you’ve got option routes. Every coverage has an option for the route and you just have to know your coverages and what you’re going to get."
