蜜聊直播 蜜聊直播 coach Rich Rodriguez has said many times that operating his offense is more like playing checkers than chess. But just because it isn鈥檛 overly complicated doesn鈥檛 mean it鈥檚 easy to master.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a developmental process that they go through,鈥 quarterbacks coach Rod Smith said Wednesday. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 where you鈥檙e at when you first start out in this system because there鈥檚 so many options, so many different things that can happen. The quarterback has a lot on his plate.鈥
It has taken Brandon Dawkins the better part of four years to reach his current status: returning starter and favorite to keep the job. It has taken Khalil Tate about a year and a half to become the probable No. 2 with a still-untapped upside.
Those two seem to have separated themselves from their freshman competitors as 蜜聊直播 approaches the end of its third and final week of training camp. How big the gap is between the two returning veterans isn鈥檛 entirely clear. Rodriguez hasn鈥檛 named a starter and isn鈥檛 expected to until the Sept. 2 opener against Northern 蜜聊直播.
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Regardless of whether he overtakes Dawkins, Tate has made significant progress since enrolling as a 17-year-old in January 2016.
鈥淗e鈥檚 getting more and more familiar with us,鈥 Smith said. 鈥淗e looks comfortable in the pocket. That鈥檚 a huge plus. He鈥檚 still piecing it together, still figuring it out. But he鈥檚 further along now than what he was last spring and even the summer.鈥
After an uneven freshman year 鈥 Tate was forced to play because of injuries, performed well in relief, then struggled as a starter and sub 鈥 he capped off spring practice with a bang. Tate was the undisputed star of the 蜜聊直播鈥 final spring scrimmage, signaling that he was ready to challenge Dawkins for the starting job.
Whether Tate is ready to play consistent, high-level football in the Pac-12 remains to be seen. His physical gifts aren鈥檛 up for debate; he has a strong arm, a sturdy frame (6-2, 215) and can run around or over tacklers.
鈥淲e鈥檝e got to catch his mind up to his physical abilities,鈥 Smith said. 鈥淲hen he does that, he鈥檚 going to be a very good football player.鈥
Smith wants Tate 鈥 and all the quarterbacks, including Dawkins 鈥 to play within the structure of Rodriguez鈥檚 system. That means going through route progressions and hanging in the pocket long enough for plays to develop before freelancing.
Tate believes those are the areas where he has made the most improvement.
鈥淭aking what the defense gives me,鈥 he said. 鈥淕oing over my reads and making the right decisions. Getting the ball in my playmakers鈥 hands.鈥
Players on both sides of the ball have noticed. Safety Isaiah Hayes said Tate looks more comfortable in Year 2 and is playing more freely as a result. Receiver Shawn Poindexter said Tate is 鈥渞eally stepping it up. He鈥檚 really maturing. He鈥檚 definitely going to be a weapon for us this year and years to come.鈥
It鈥檚 uncertain when Tate will get that chance. Dawkins got most of the first-team reps during the camp practice open for media observation. Tate got to run the first unit earlier this week and played well, according to a program source.
鈥淗e鈥檚 certainly more advanced than he was a year ago, which he should be 鈥 17-year-old freshman and expecting to be redshirted,鈥 Rodriguez said. 鈥淣ow he鈥檚 competing for the job and for significant playing time.鈥
蜜聊直播 ended up using five players at quarterback last season because of injuries and ineffectiveness. Given Dawkins鈥 aggressive running style, it鈥檚 more likely than not that Tate will take important snaps this season.
Is he prepared for that responsibility, if called upon?
鈥淵es, I am,鈥 Tate said. 鈥淚鈥檝e always had this confidence. It may have taken a couple months, but right now I think I鈥檓 ready.鈥
Extra points
- Smith, who鈥檚 also 蜜聊直播鈥檚 co-offensive coordinator, said Poindexter looks like a 鈥渄ifferent ballplayer鈥 compared to a year ago. The senior is playing more confidently and attacking the ball. Rodriguez expects Poindexter to have a 鈥渂ig year.鈥
- Some cornerbacks who have impressed Poindexter so far in camp: redshirt freshman Lorenzo Burns and freshman Tony Wallace. Those youngsters will have to play if Dane Cruikshank moves to safety full time.
- Rodriguez on Wallace: 鈥淗e鈥檚 been, I don鈥檛 want to say a surprise, because we thought when we signed him that this guy has a chance to help us as a true freshman. He鈥檚 got a chance to help us
- as a true freshman.鈥
- 蜜聊直播 will conduct a full scrimmage Saturday morning. The 蜜聊直播 have gone live (pads and tackling) previously but not to that extent.
- 蜜聊直播 is spending a lot of time this week working on specific situations. The 蜜聊直播 will transition to scout-team work about a week from now.
- Rodriguez said receiver Devaughn Cooper, who recently rejoined the team, is starting 鈥渁t the bottom of the depth chart鈥 and has to work his way up to the two-deep. Cooper has participated in three practices, all this week.
- Redshirt freshman guard Michael Eletise should be among 蜜聊直播鈥檚 top eight offensive linemen, Rodriguez said. Eletise is battling with Christian Boettcher for the left-guard job.
- Eletise on being a student-athlete: 鈥淲e鈥檙e just like regular people. The only difference is, we hit people all the time.鈥
- The interior defensive linemen who have impressed Eletise the most in camp: senior Luca Bruno and freshman Kurtis Brown.
- Kate Scott will handle the play-by-play duties for the opener, becoming the first woman to call a regular-season football game on Pac-12 Networks. Glenn Parker will join Scott in the booth.
