Arizona visits Oregon State with focus on QB Tate’s injured ankle
The previous time he faced Oregon State, Arizona quarterback Khalil Tate rushed for more than 200 yards and two touchdowns. When he sees the Beavers on Saturday, he may have to rely more on his arm.
Tate tweaked his left ankle and his normally potent running ability has been slowed this season. But last week, the dualthreat got his arm going and threw for a career-high 349 yards and five touchdowns in a 62-31 rout of
1 p.m. today, PAC12N
Southern Utah. He had just four carries.
Arizona coach Kevin Sumlin admitted that Tate wasn’t at full strength going into the game, Arizona’s first win of the season after losses to BYU and Houston. Concerns about Tate’s ankle were amplified after one carry that resulted in a fumble.
Last year in a 49-28 Arizona victory over the Beavers, Tate rushed for 206 yards on 16 carries with two TDs. The Wildcats ran for a school-record 534 yards in the game. As a result, Tate didn’t need to pass much and threw for just 68 yards.
Oregon State coach Jonathan Smith said that Tate is a threat even when he’s limited.
“I just know what he’s done this season is scary because he is throwing the ball from the pocket and I think he is doing it well,” Smith said. “What is scary about that is now he can beat you by spreading you out and throwing the ball on time, and there’s always the factor of on a pass play pulling it and going, let alone what he can do in the run game.”
Oregon State’s one victory this season also came against Southern Utah.
Beavers quarterback Jake Luton is listed as doubtful because of an ankle sprain. So it’s likely Conor Blount will start at Reser Stadium. Jack Colletto is next on the depth chart.
Blount has thrown for 570 yards and four touchdowns this season, while Luton has thrown for 372 yards and a score.
Smith has juggled his quarterbacks this season, and seems content with not picking a regular starter.
“I feel good that we have two quarterbacks that we feel like we could move the ball with, and we’ve needed both of them,” Smith said.