Arizona QB Khalil Tate out vs. UCLA, Rhett Rodriguez to start

There won’t be any lingering quarterback controversy for the Arizona Wildcats this week.

Kevin Sumlin announced during Tuesday’s Pac-12 conference call that Khalil Tate will be out against the UCLA Bruins on Saturday and Rhett Rodriguez will start in his place.

Sumlin says Rhett Rodriguez will be starting at QB this week against UCLA.

— Thuc Nhi Nguyen (@thucnhi21) October 16, 2018

Tate has been hobbled by an ankle injury all season and only lasted two series in Friday’s loss to Utah, before being knocked out.

Sumlin said Monday that he wanted to avoid another situation where Tate would start only to exit during the game.

“It looked to me like he could hardly hand the ball off. That’s why I got him out,” Sumlin said. “It’s a player safety issue. We’re never going to put anyone in harm’s way.”

True freshman Jamarye Joiner played two series before Rodriguez took over for good. The sophomore was 20 for 38 for 226 yards and a touchdown.

Sumlin thought Rodriguez was a better fit for the situation given his experience and the environment — a road game against the Pac-12’s best defense.

“I thought Rhett came in in a two-minute drill situation, which he had been used to, and moved us down the field and it gave him the right to start the second half,” Sumlin said.

“And then when he came back in the second half, he continued to move the ball. We thought he did a nice job in a very, very difficult situation, being down, being on the road. He looked very, very comfortable and poised throughout that time. I felt Rhett was doing as good a job as anyone could do at that point, and he continued to play.”

Saturday’s kickoff at the Rose Bowl is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. PT on ESPN2.

Here is UCLA coach Chip Kelly’s reaction to Tate’s absence:

Chip Kelly on Khalil Tate being out this week: "Well, we don't have to chase the fastest kid in the country around." But he added that it was sad because he how tough Tate is.

— Thuc Nhi Nguyen (@thucnhi21) October 16, 2018

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