It doesnβt sound as if Arizona Wildcats coach Rich Rodriguez plans to bring new quarterback Donavan Tate along slowly.
Appearing on the βAP Top 25 College Football Podcastβ last week, Rodriguez said he envisions Tate providing βimmediate competitionβ 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 didnβt 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 KβHari Lane and Rhett Rodriguez, Richβs son.
Donavan Tate hasnβt played organized football since 2008. He will turn 27 in September.
βHeβs a grown man,β Rodriguez said on the podcast. βHe really wants to do this. Heβs a very athletic guy, of course. This is a new phase of his career, and weβre anxious to give him a shot.β
Rodriguez said the opportunity to bring Tate into the fold βkind of happened by chance.β One of Arizonaβs analysts brought Tate to Rodriguezβs attention. After researching him and meeting him β and learning it wouldnβt cost the Wildcats a scholarship β Rodriguez decided that Tate would be a worthwhile addition.
βWe thought it was a perfect fit,β Rodriguez said.
The host of the podcast, Ralph Russo, also asked Rodriguez about the upcoming season β specifically whether it was a βcrucialβ one for him given Arizonaβs 3-9 record last year and the departure of Athletic Director Greg Byrne, who hired Rodriguez in November 2011.
βThereβs always pressure,β Rodriguez said. βIf you have a bad year, thereβs going to be more pressure the following year, without question.
βThe truth is, last year was awful. We need to prove ourselves all over again. β¦ But thatβs OK. If thereβs a person in our program that doesnβt have a chip on their shoulder and doesnβt feel the need to prove themselves, then they donβt belong in this program.
βWeβve been working our tails off to prove ourselves. Game time will tell. I feel pretty confident weβll be able to do that this fall.β