Offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone, right, called second-year starter Khalil Tate “a dynamic runner” who’s still trying to become a more rounded quarterback.

 Kelly Presnell / Arizona Daily Star

Noel Mazzone echoed what Kevin Sumlin has said about Khalil Tate: The goal is to transform him from an athlete playing quarterback to a quarterback who happens to be an amazing athlete.

No one on the Arizona Wildcats coaching staff will play a bigger role in that process than Mazzone, the veteran QB guru and offensive coordinator whom Sumlin imported from Texas A&M.

Mazzone, who has worked with numerous standout quarterbacks over the course of his long coaching career, began working with Tate in the spring. Mazzone inherited a player who burst onto the national scene last season but still has room for growth and refinement.

Mazzone talked about all seven quarterbacks in his room after Arizona’s second training-camp practice Saturday night. What follows is what Mazzone had to say about Tate, the junior who could be a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate. The Q&A session with the media has been lightly edited for clarity and context.

Arizona head coach Kevin Sumlin, foreground, brought Mazzone with him from Texas A&M. Mazzone is widely known as a quarterback guru and started working with Tate in the spring.

How much better has Khalil gotten over the summer?

A: “We’ll kind of wait and see. He’s done a good job the first two days. But like any quarterback, you look for some consistency. He’s shown that so far, but it’s only been two days. I’m excited where he’s at — the starting point where we’re at with him.”

Has there been too much hype for Khalil? He had one great month, yet a lot of people are talking about him for the Heisman.

A: “I don’t know. I know he’s a pretty grounded kid. I know he knows where he’s at with this football team, his career. I think he just comes out every day to get better and help this football team win.”

Where do you expect him to make the quickest gains in the passing game?

A: “Some of this stuff’s a little bit new for him. Obviously, it’s a new offense. Right now, he’s kind of going through the process of learning about progression reads, about learning coverages and doing those type of things. I think the summer really helped him. He’s a little bit further along than I anticipated, so I’m kind of excited about moving forward.”

What have you learned about him since you started working with him?

A: “That it’s important to him. I think it’s been a great experience for him. He went to the Manning camp (the Manning Passing Academy, run by the Manning family), got involved with (other) quarterbacks. In my estimation, he’s realized that that he’s a quarterback and (that) quarterbacks have to act like quarterbacks. I think he’s done a good job with that.”

Is there a “wow” factor with Khalil when you see him up close?

A: “A hundred percent. Am I going to coach him to be (more) dynamic as a runner? No, that’s who he is. He’s a dynamic runner. What he’s trying to do now is become a rounded quarterback and play the position the other way, in the pocket. That’s what I think he’s been working hard on.”

He mentioned there being more pocket concepts. But obviously you want to take advantage of his running ability. Is there an ideal number of carries per game for him?

A: “No. It just kind of happens. Our best play might be when I call a pass play, everybody’s covered and he decides to run. We’re not going to build our running attack around Khalil. We’ve got J.J. (Taylor), we’ve got (Gary) Brightwell, we’ve got some good running backs. I think he feeds off of that.”

What’s your philosophy about how quarterbacks should protect themselves?

A: “They should slide, right? So we’ve gotta work on sliding. They take enough hits in the pocket.

“(But) he’s a special guy. He’s such a dynamic runner, as you guys know, that you don’t want to bridle him too much. But then you also want him to be smart and protect himself.”

Extra points

  • Mazzone praised Brightwell, who might have the inside track to be the No. 2 tailback behind Taylor, the projected starter. Brightwell, a sophomore, primarily played on special teams as a freshman.
  • Linebacker Santino Marchiol, who transferred from Texas A&M, is practicing with the team. He’s wearing No. 32 and working at the “Mike” position with the second unit. There’s no word yet on whether he’ll be eligible for 2018.
  • Center Nathan Eldridge is wearing black neoprene sleeves on both knees. Eldridge missed time in spring because of knee soreness.
  • Veteran players not spotted on the field during the open portion of practice: offensive lineman Alex Kosinski, defensive tackle Kurtis Brown and linebacker Jacob Colacion.
  • Defensive coordinator/linebackers coach Marcel Yates spent time with his group working on pass-rush moves. The defense as a whole worked on stripping ball-carriers and scooping up fumbles.
  • Saturday’s twist to punt-return drills: players trying to field punts with a ball — or two — already tucked into their arms. Shun Brown was among those able to snare three in a row.
  • The catch of the day during individual drills was made by redshirt junior Cedric Peterson, who made a tumbling grab near the sideline after appearing to lose his footing.
  • About halfway through practice, the team moved from the grass fields next to the C.A.T.S. Academics Center into Arizona Stadium. The lights at the practice field aren’t yet operational.
  • A scout from the New York Jets attended practice.
  • The Wildcats have the day off Sunday. They resume workouts Monday evening.

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