Arizona Wildcat quarterback Khalil Tate speaks to reporters after morning practice at the Lowell-Stevens Football Facility on the University of Arizona campus, Oct. 11, 2017, in Tucson, Ariz. Tate set an NCAA single-game rushing record by a quarterback last week in the game against Colorado.
Recognition continued to pour in for Arizona Wildcats quarterback Khalil Tate on Monday.
Tate was named Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week, becoming the first UA player to be honored by the league this season.
It’s the latest accolade for Tate, who became an overnight sensation after his record-setting 327-yard rushing performance at Colorado on Saturday. Even though Tate has been shouted out by multiple national websites, ESPN and even LeBron James on Instagram, Arizona coach Rich Rodriguez doesn’t think it will affect the easygoing sophomore.
“It’s not going to change him or change who we are,” Rodriguez said. “But I also think it’s kind of neat for guys to get recognition. It’s a fun deal, but if I was worried it would change a guy or something, I would sit down and talk to him. I don’t think we have anyone that would change, and certainly not Khalil.”
Tate seemed utterly unfazed during and after his historic performance in Boulder. When he would come to the sideline to talk to Rodriguez between series, Tate already knew what Rodriguez was going to say about the CU defense.
“For a guy who hadn’t played a whole lot,” Rodriguez said, “I was really impressed with how composed he was out there and how he handled it like a veteran.”
The only recognition lacking for Tate came on the team’s official depth chart for this Saturday’s game against UCLA. Rodriguez listed Tate and Brandon Dawkins as co-starters.
Tate is expected to start against the Bruins. As Rodriguez said after the Colorado game, “It’s hard to justify not starting him after this, right?”
Why would Rodriguez not list Tate as the sole starter? Two reasons: (1) to force UCLA to prepare for two quarterbacks; and (2) because Rodriguez believes he has two starting-caliber QBs.
Dawkins started the first four games and most of last season. He performed inconsistently, prompting calls from fans for Rodriguez to insert Tate. That happened in the first quarter at Colorado after Dawkins got hit out of bounds and somersaulted into a metal bench on the CU sideline. He could have come back into the game if necessary, Rodriguez said.
As for reason No. 1, it seems to be having the desired effect.
“I don’t know who will play, and I doubt they’ll tell us,” UCLA coach Jim Mora told reporters Monday. “Both of them are similar in style. They’re capable passers, and they’re excellent runners. They do a good job of staying alive as passers before they run, so they hold you in coverage.
“They’re not really going to change what they do. It won’t change a lot (for the Bruins). We have to make sure we handle the quarterback.”
While Tate and Dawkins have similarities, their styles and skill sets aren’t the same. Tate is a shiftier runner than Dawkins. Several times Tate made Colorado defenders miss, including one instance that Rodriguez described as “the Allen Iverson crossover.” Tate made that move on the Buffaloes’ Ryan Moeller late in the second quarter, leading to a 37-yard gain.
Tate threw the ball more accurately than Dawkins generally has, completing 12 of 13 passes, with the lone miss being a drop. Of course, it was just one game, and Rodriguez conceded that some of the passes he called for Tate were “easy.”
While just about everyone outside Colorado marveled at Tate’s performance, Mora wasn’t among them.
“It wasn’t fun to see the quarterback rush for 327 yards,” he said.
Night fight
Washington coach Chris Petersen last week complained about the Huskies’ plethora of night games. Rodriguez generally agrees with Petersen, but acknowledges that late starts are a necessary evil for the Pac-12.
The conference’s schools bring in millions of dollars from TV partners ESPN and Fox, who largely dictate when games are played. The networks often air Pac-12 games at 7 p.m. or later on the West Coast, giving them near-exclusivity at the end of packed Saturdays.
“That’s the way it is right now,” Rodriguez said. “As long as we’re getting paid TV money, it’s going to continue to be that way. It’s frustrating at times. (But) everything is different now with TV than it used to be.”
Arizona had two afternoon games last year — versus USC and at Washington State. Every game this year has started at 6 p.m. local time or later. The Oct. 21 game at Cal will begin at 5 p.m. and will be televised by Pac-12 Networks.
Extra points
- Asked if Tate’s performance and the win at Colorado might energize the UA fan base, Rodriguez said: “I hope so. … I think every win energizes everybody.”
- Regarding Arizona’s porous run defense against Colorado (300 yards allowed), Rodriguez cited an inability to get off blocks and hold gaps.
- Despite a season-high four sacks, Rodriguez said Arizona’s pass rush didn’t get home enough against Colorado. He said UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen “will pick us apart” if he’s not pressured.
- Rodriguez on freshman linebackers Tony Fields II, Colin Schooler, Kylan Wilborn and Anthony Pandy: “Even though sometimes there are some growing pains with it, I can see them growing up as the season goes along.”
- Rodriguez said freshman safety Scottie Young Jr. was “pretty focused all week” after he “went through some things” off the field. Young was arrested Sept. 28 on a misdemeanor domestic-violence charge.
- Arizona played a clean game against Colorado (one turnover, two penalties), and Rodriguez said the Wildcats probably would have lost if they hadn’t.
- Rodriguez on Gary Andersen‘s sudden departure from Oregon State: “I think Gary is heck of a football coach. I’m a little surprised that anything happens at this point in the season. Division I college football and pro football, it’s a wild profession at times.”
