Freshman QB Tate still feeling his way at the UA

Although he has been on the University of Arizona campus since January, freshman quarterback Khalil Tate is still getting used to things.

The playbook. Managing his time. Getting hit in practice.

But in a way, it’s nothing new for Tate. He’s always been young for his class. As such, he said Sunday, “It kind of takes me a minute to adjust to things at times.”

Tate is only 17 years old. He won’t turn 18 until late October. On the field and off it, he’s just getting started.

“I’m still learning,” Tate said during the Wildcats’ annual media day, the first opportunity for UA newcomers to speak with reporters. “I’m still learning the ropes of college football and college culture.”

It’s a big change for any incoming freshman, athlete or otherwise. Tate just so happens to play football’s most important and demanding position.

Coach Rich Rodriguez said recently that Tate’s head is still “swimming.” Tate conceded that the first week of fall camp was particularly challenging — “I had to update my mind and press refresh,” he said — but in general he’s a lot more comfortable now than in spring.

The Los Angeles native had offers from several other high-profile schools, including USC, where most high-profile prospects from Junipero Serra High in Gardena, California, seem to land. But the previous USC regime, like many other schools, wanted Tate to come in as an “athlete.” Rodriguez always told Tate he’d be a quarterback, and the coach hasn’t reneged on that promise.

Tate is working behind veterans Anu Solomon and Brandon Dawkins, who are battling for the starting spot. It’s unclear whether Tate will play or redshirt this season. It’s not something he spends time thinking about.

“Football is a game where one down you can be playing, the next down you can be on the sidelines,” Tate said. “Be ready when your name is called.”

Unlike Solomon and Dawkins, Tate doesn’t get to wear the red practice jersey that protects quarterbacks from being hit. Rodriguez does that with his freshman QBs to gauge how they react. Tate doesn’t like it, but he understands it.

“It’s kind of tough,” he said. “I take all the bruises. Brandon and Anu can talk mess to the defense, and they can’t hit them. They’ll take it out on me.

“But it’s something I’ve got to do. It’s good to get used to it.”

Dealing with death

Linebacker Michael Barton already has emerged as a leader for Arizona, despite being a Wildcat for only a few months. But the graduate transfer from Cal never envisioned where that role would take him.

In February 2014, Golden Bears defensive lineman Ted Agu died after a strenuous team workout. Just a few days into Barton’s first training camp at Arizona, senior lineman Zach Hemmila died in his sleep of unknown causes.

Hemmila’s sudden passing was incredibly difficult to process for UA players and coaches, who are still grieving the loss of the Wildcats’ likely starting center. Having been through a similar situation before, Barton was able to offer words of comfort and encouragement to his relatively new teammates.

“Going through that, I was able to help some of the other guys who were really struggling,” Barton said. “I talked to some guys who were having trouble, especially some of the seniors who were with him: ‘Look, this is a time where we have to stick together more than ever. If anything, this is going to bring us closer as a team.’ Which it did.”

Still waiting

As a grad transfer, Barton was immediately eligible to play. Receiver Zach Benjamin is still awaiting word from the NCAA, and there’s no telling when it will come.

Benjamin transferred from South Florida and is part of the UA roster as a walk-on. Rodriguez has indicated that if Benjamin were eligible, he could help the team this season; at 6-foot-4, he’s one of the bigger wideouts on the team.

However, Benjamin currently isn’t eligible to play this season because of the NCAA’s transfer rule, which requires student-athletes to sit out a year. Arizona contends that rule shouldn’t apply to Benjamin, who didn’t play last season — he did not earn a letter at USF — and who is paying his own way at the UA.

The school filed an appeal with the NCAA, and Benjamin penned a letter pleading his case.

“I’m still waiting for an answer,” Benjamin said. “I know we have a great compliance office. I know Dudek (Matt Dudek, the football program’s general manager/director of player personnel) is pushing hard and doing his job.

“I definitely want to play. I understand rules are rules. I think I should be able to play. I’m just kind of rolling it with it right now.”

Extra points

Defensive lineman Luca Bruno had a walking boot on his right foot at media day. Bruno missed the end of last season and did not participate in on-field drills in spring because of a foot injury. The redshirt junior, who started 11 games last year, had been participating in training camp but appeared to be laboring after practice Saturday.
The Wildcats are scheduled to resume practice this week, with their next media availability Tuesday morning.