Khalil Tate will be back at Arizona next season.
There had been speculation that Tate could look to transfer, or possibly leave for the NFL Draft, but the Arizona Daily Star reported Wednesday that after a meeting with coach Kevin Sumlin, Tate has decided to remain with the Wildcats.
Tate exploded onto the scene during the 2017 season when Rich Rodriguez was still Arizona's coach. He didn't begin the season as the team's starting quarterback but took over for Brandon Dawkins as the starter in the Wildcats' fifth game of the season against Colorado. He would finish the season passing for 1,591 yards and 14 touchdowns, but he was a revelation as a runner, rushing for 1,411 yards and 12 touchdowns. His performance had earned him some buzz as a Heisman Trophy candidate entering the 2018 season, but then Rodriguez was fired and replaced by Kevin Sumlin.
Sumlin brought Noel Mazzone as his offensive coordinator to Tucson, and Mazzone brought an offense that was different than the one Tate excelled in during 2017. Combine learning a new offense with an ankle injury that dogged Tate during the season, and his 2018 numbers looked a lot different. He performed well as a passer, throwing for 2,530 yards and 26 touchdowns, though his completion percentage of 56.3 was low. What stood out were his rushing totals; a season after rushing for nearly 1,500 yards, Tate rushed for only 224 yards in 2018.
The Arizona Daily Star also reports that Tate sought a draft evaluation from the NFL and was told to return to school for another season. Perhaps another year of tutelage in Mazzone's offense can improve Tate's accuracy, and with it, his draft stock.