It doesnโt sound as if Arizona Wildcats coach Rich Rodriguez plans to bring new quarterback Donavan Tate along slowly.
Appearing on the โAP Top 25 College Football Podcastโ last week, Rodriguez said he envisions Tate providing โimmediate competitionโ at the QB position.
Tate, the former No. 3 pick in the MLB draft, is joining the UA football program as a walk-on after his baseball career didnโt work out because of injuries, off-the-field issues and other factors.
Arizona returns 2016 starter Brandon Dawkins and promising sophomore Khalil Tate (no relation). The UA also will add freshman quarterbacks KโHari Lane and Rhett Rodriguez, Richโs son.
Donavan Tate hasnโt played organized football since 2008. He will turn 27 in September.
โHeโs a grown man,โ Rodriguez said on the podcast. โHe really wants to do this. Heโs a very athletic guy, of course. This is a new phase of his career, and weโre anxious to give him a shot.โ
Rodriguez said the opportunity to bring Tate into the fold โkind of happened by chance.โ One of Arizonaโs analysts brought Tate to Rodriguezโs attention. After researching him and meeting him โ and learning it wouldnโt cost the Wildcats a scholarship โ Rodriguez decided that Tate would be a worthwhile addition.
โWe thought it was a perfect fit,โ Rodriguez said.
The host of the podcast, Ralph Russo, also asked Rodriguez about the upcoming season โ specifically whether it was a โcrucialโ one for him given Arizonaโs 3-9 record last year and the departure of Athletic Director Greg Byrne, who hired Rodriguez in November 2011.
โThereโs always pressure,โ Rodriguez said. โIf you have a bad year, thereโs going to be more pressure the following year, without question.
โThe truth is, last year was awful. We need to prove ourselves all over again. โฆ But thatโs OK. If thereโs a person in our program that doesnโt have a chip on their shoulder and doesnโt feel the need to prove themselves, then they donโt belong in this program.
โWeโve been working our tails off to prove ourselves. Game time will tell. I feel pretty confident weโll be able to do that this fall.โ
