ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ quarterback Khalil Tate runs with the ball during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Washington State in Pullman, Wash., Saturday, Nov. 17, 2018.Â
The most dangerous play ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ runs — the one ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ State should fear the most Saturday afternoon — can’t be found in the Wildcats’ playbook.
When quarterback Khalil Tate scrambles out of the pocket, his first instinct is to throw the ball as far as possible. He has tremendous arm strength and an uncanny ability to throw accurately while on the run.
The result over the past three weeks, since Tate returned to action from an ankle injury: several big plays and touchdowns of the schoolyard variety.
Last week’s game against Washington State provided the latest set of examples.
On Tate’s second touchdown pass, he rolled to his right to elude cornerback Marcus Strong, who had blitzed from the slot. When he saw Tate move, receiver Tony Ellison darted from the right flat toward the end zone. Tate launched a high-arching jump pass that Ellison caught in stride for a 37-yard TD.
“Run downfield and he’ll throw it to you,†Ellison said. “Most of our scramble plays end up being touchdowns.â€
The receivers have a protocol when Tate flees the pocket. If you’re deep, come back. If you’re short, go long. If you’re on the back side of a play, run across the field.
More often than not, though, “the deepest guy gets the ball,†receiver Shawn Poindexter said. After the Colorado game, in which he threw five touchdown passes, Tate referred to his receivers forming a “pyramid†on scramble plays. His default setting is to aim for the top.
Tate’s longest pass in Pullman was a 48-yard heave down the left sideline to Devaughn Cooper. Tate had five defenders chasing him. He threw the ball 45 yards in the air while running to his left.
“Not a lot of guys can make that throw," UA coach Kevin Sumlin said.
ESPN analyst Brock Huard cited one after witnessing Tate’s contortionist act: Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who leads the NFL in passing yards and touchdowns in his second professional season.
Tate is a long way from performing at that level. He relies a little too much on those broken plays, which can produce big gains but aren’t high-percentage opportunities.
Tate’s first pass of the night at WSU was intercepted. He scrambled right and tried to hit Ellison racing up the field. But the pass was thrown about a yard too far inside, enabling Strong to make a leaping pick.
Ellison blamed himself for the turnover.
“Stuff happens,†he said. “I could have gone back and hit the ball away from the guy. I didn’t play it the right way.â€
Ellison and his fellow receivers usually play it right. Tate invariably gives them a chance. It often leads to something good for ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥.
“You just want to get open and get in his vision,†Poindexter said. “That’s it.â€
