Kenny Tate
Personal information | |
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Born: | Forestville, Maryland | May 15, 1990
Height: | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) |
Weight: | 220 lb (100 kg) |
Career information | |
College: | Maryland |
Position: | Defensive end |
Undrafted: | 2013 |
Career history | |
* Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |
Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Kenny Tate (born May 15, 1990) is a professional
Early life
Tate grew up in
College career
2008 season
Before the start of the 2008 season, head coach Ralph Friedgen moved Tate to safety due to a lack of depth at that position. Friedgen admitted apprehension with the decision because he had recruited Tate as a wide receiver and did not want to hurt his credibility as a recruiter.[14] The switch moved him from a position with an abundance of talented players to one that allowed significantly more game action.[15] As a converted wide receiver, he possessed sure hands, a valuable attribute for a defensive back.[16] Friedgen said,
"He is really a phenomenal athlete and he really has tremendous hands. He made some plays the other day that were like, 'Whoa,' going up and catching the ball with one hand. He is a pretty good man-cover guy for a guy who is 6-3, 220 pounds. He plays on the slots, and Coach [James] Franklin can’t find the slots because he covers them up so well."[17]
One of four true freshman to play for Maryland in
Tate had one assisted tackle each against
2009 season
At the end of the 2008 season, head coach Ralph Friedgen gave Tate the option of switching back to wide receiver. Friedgen said, "I think he's going to be really good whether he goes back to wide receiver or stays at safety."[16] In 2009, Tate chose to remain at safety and said, "I feel a lot more comfortable [than early last year]. I feel like I'm back in the swing of things."[22] Despite ten potential starting wide receivers on the Maryland roster,[23] Tate said that did not factor into his decision to remain on defense. He said that he had only played as a receiver for three years in high school, while he had been playing defensive positions his entire life.[24]
He entered the 2009 season as the backup to senior strong safety Jamari McCollough and backup punt returner to Tony Logan.[2][25] Safeties coach Kevin Lempa and defensive coordinator Don Brown said Tate would see a significant amount of playing time at various positions: safety, linebacker, defensive end, and cornerback.[26] Tate received high praise during and after the summer, and The Baltimore Sun called him one of the "August standouts", alongside wide receiver Adrian Cannon.[27] Head coach Friedgen called his camp performance "sensational",[28] while Maryland quarterback Chris Turner said, "Kenny is a problem. His instincts are so advanced, the way he times up the count when he is blitzing and plays in coverage and reads receivers and reads me and the space he covers just with his wingspan alone, it is really impressive to see. It's something else."[28]
During the season, Tate saw action in ten games, including four starts. He missed the final two contests against
2010 season
Before the season, The Washington Post considered him a "valuable asset" to second-year defensive coordinator Don Brown's aggressive system.[29] In the season opener against Navy at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Tate stopped a quarterback keeper by Ricky Dobbs on the goal line, which preserved a 17–14 Maryland victory in the closing minutes.[30] During the game, he compiled a career-high 12 tackles and forced two fumbles, one of which halted a potential scoring drive inside the Maryland five-yard line. For his performance against Navy, the Atlantic Coast Conference named Tate its Defensive Back of the Week.[31] The Football Writers Association of America named him the Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week and added him to the 2010 Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List.[32] Against 21st-ranked West Virginia, Tate intercepted a pass thrown by Jock Sanders on a halfback option play, and returned it 53 yards.[33] Against Duke, Tate harassed quarterback Sean Renfree and compiled 1.5 sacks, including one that forced a fumble during a drive deep in Maryland territory.[34]
Professional career
Tate went unselected in
Personal life
Tate is studying business at the University of Maryland.[2] His pre-game routine consists of eating two jelly sandwiches, a habit that he formed in the eighth grade.[38] During his freshman season, Tate roomed with two other players who saw action in their first year: cornerback Cameron Chism and running back Davin Meggett.[39]
References
- ^ Eric Prisbell, For Maryland football, seven plays defined bounce-back season, The Washington Post, November 26, 2010.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Player Bio: Kenny Tate Archived October 27, 2011, at the Wayback Machine, University of Maryland, retrieved July 3, 2009.
- ^ The Washington Examiner, November 17, 2006.
- ^ a b c No such thing as 'lazy days of summer' Archived September 24, 2015, at the Wayback Machine, The Gazette, July 13, 2006.
- ^ US Army All-American Bowl Starters Announced, Scout.com, January 4, 2008.
- ^ a b Meet Kenny Tate, The Baltimore Sun, February 2008.
- ^ ESPNU 150, ESPN, retrieved July 4, 2009.
- ^ Kenny Tate - SF, ESPN, retrieved July 3, 2009.
- ^ Kenny Tate Profile, Scout.com, retrieved July 3, 2009.
- ^ Kenny Tate, Rivals.com, retrieved July 3, 2009.
- ^ For Tate, it's Official: DeMatha Star a Terp Archived November 13, 2009, at the Wayback Machine, Scout.com, January 31, 2008.
- ^ The Family Man: Kenny Tate, Scout.com, February 6, 2008.
- ^ Joshua Hudson, Former DeMatha star learning ropes at safety; Tate makes transition from offense to defense with Terps Archived August 30, 2009, at the Wayback Machine, The Gazette, August 27, 2009.
- ^ Friedgen was 'apprehensive' about Tate move, The Baltimore Sun, August 2008.
- ^ Meet the Team: Kenny Tate Archived December 18, 2008, at the Wayback Machine, The Diamondback, December 11, 2008.
- ^ a b A look at Kenny Tate's progress, The Baltimore Sun, September 2008.
- ^ a b Kenny Tate Wowing Friedgen, The Washington Post, September 19, 2008.
- ^ 2008 Team Cumulative Statistics Archived April 1, 2012, at the Wayback Machine, University of Maryland, retrieved July 4, 2009.
- ^ Mid-afternoon update, The Washington Post, August 26, 2008.
- ^ Being a freshman, The Baltimore Sun, December 2008.
- ^ Friedgen: 'We finally put a full game together', The Baltimore Sun, October 2008.
- ^ Loose ends from the Red-White game, The Baltimore Sun, April 25, 2009.
- ^ Eric Prisbell, A Multi-Receiver Set; Maryland Wideouts Expect to Be ACC's Most Dangerous, The Washington Post, August 21, 2009.
- ^ Eric Prisbell, More from Kenny Tate, The Washington Post, August 26, 2009.
- ^ 2009 Depth Chart[permanent dead link] (PDF), University of Maryland, April 20, 2009, retrieved July 4, 2009.
- ^ Kenny Tate: S/LB/CB/DE?! Archived July 25, 2009, at the Wayback Machine, The Diamondback, July 14, 2009.
- ^ Jeff Barker, Tate, Cannon are August standouts, The Baltimore Sun, August 19, 2009.
- ^ a b Eric Prisbell, Maryland Sophomore Kenny Tate is a Big Hit at Safety, The Washington Post, August 25, 2009.
- ^ a b Tate eager to return to field after sour ending to season, The Washington Post, September 1, 2010.
- ^ Terps hang on for win over Navy, The Baltimore Sun, September 6, 2010.
- ^ Atlantic Coast Conference Announces ACC Football Players of the Week; UNC's Yates, Maryland's Tate Headline Eight Honorees Archived October 7, 2012, at the Wayback Machine, Atlantic Coast Conference, September 7, 2010.
- ^ MARYLAND'S TATE IS NAGURSKI NATIONAL DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK, Football Writers Association of America, September 7, 2010.
- ^ Geno Smith, West Virginia's defense stifle Maryland, ESPN, September 18, 2010.
- ^ In time of need, Tate flies to the rescue; Terp safety’s pass-rushing pressure helped Terps turn the tide vs. Duke in win Saturday Archived June 13, 2011, at the Wayback Machine, The Diamondback, October 5, 2010.
- ^ Blue Bombers Ink Import DB Loper and LB Tate
- ^ Penton, Kirk (May 29, 2014). "Bombers like what they see in versatile defender Kenny Tate". WinnipegSun.com. Retrieved June 8, 2014.
- ^ Wilson, Aaron (June 17, 2014). "Ex-Terp Kenny Tate cut by Winnipeg Blue Bombers". BaltimoreSun.com. Archived from the original on June 17, 2014. Retrieved June 21, 2014.
- ^ Kenny Tate's pre-game routine, The Baltimore Sun, October 2008.
- ^ He now works as PE teacher at St. Marys Catholic School Landover Hills Maryland's confident freshmen, The Baltimore Sun, September 2008.
External links
- Maryland Terrapins bio
- Status quo for Kenny Tate, The Baltimore Sun, October 2007.
- Kenny Tate - WR, ESPN, retrieved July 3, 2009.