Lane: 'It was a long journey" to becoming a Wildcat
Saturday afternoon under rainy skies 2017 quarterback recruit K'Hari Lane watched Arizona take part in its first spring practice of the year. Just a few weeks prior many of his peers signed their National Letters of Intent to play college football later this year. The Montezuma (Ga.) Macon County standout, who now holds the single-season record for passing touchdowns in his home state, didn't have the offer he was looking for so he waited.
Arizona came calling and Sunday he left an official visit to Tucson as the latest member of Rich Rodriguez's 2017 class. It took time, but the 6-foot-2, 230-pound quarterback found the Power Five offer he was looking for. UA needed another quarterback in its class and Lane needed his next home. It was a perfect match and it marked the end of an interesting chapter for the Georgia signal caller.
"It was a long journey, so I'm just thankful," he said. "God had a plan for me. ... I didn't let waiting really discourage me. I'm my own person and I don't look to be like everyone else. I just waited to see how things were going to turn out for me and whoever gave me an opportunity that's where I was gonna go."
Lane goes by the "Red Rifle" for his passing ability. He even has the name on that back of a black and red letterman jacket he wore Saturday during Arizona's first spring practice. He doesn't have traditional quarterback size and he didn't have to do much running in high school, but man oh man can he pass. You don't get a nickname like the one he has if you can't throw it a little bit.
As a senior Lane tossed nearly 60 touchdowns and had just two interceptions all season long. He finished his career with around 10,000 passing yards and over 120 passing touchdowns. Still, it was not until recently that things picked up when an article detailing his struggle to gain an offer despite his gaudy numbers made its way through the internet.
That buzz brought UA to him "a couple weeks ago" and from then on it was full steam ahead to getting him out for a visit and eventually locking him up as a late addition to the 2017 class. The Wildcats were in need of adding one more quarterback into the mix after only signing one, Rhett Rodriguez. It was an opportunity for both sides to get something they needed in the end.
"People on the West Coast didn't really know about me or even recruit my area," he said. "That really put me out there."
Where the 'Cats especially needed help was in the passing game where the departure of Anu Solomon to Baylor left a hole. Brandon Dawkins and Khalil Tate can both throw it, but they have been more effective as runners. Rhett Rodriguez brings a nice mix of both, but UA wanted to have a true passer in the offense going into the season and that is one area Lane feels he can help.
"I feel like my overall game is pretty good," he said. "But I do have a big arm and my footwork is progressing. I've worked on that a lot and I've stressed that on myself to work on. I feel like I'm an overall good player and I'm always willing to work."
It wasn't just that Arizona was the biggest school to take a chance on him that made Lane commit. After getting a chance to watch the team's coaches in action over the weekend he saw the right things to make him feel that UA was also a good fit for what he wants in his college career as well.
"When I went there I watched practice and I felt like that could be my home," he said. "The atmosphere was pretty nice, and I want to try something new. I have never been out that far and I want to try something new. I feel like I can come in right away and get started good."
The new UA commit's mother was a big part of his entire process and now that her son will be playing all the way across the country making her feel confident in his decision was important as well.
"She just caught on to everyone's personality," Lane said of his mother, Krista. "She caught on with them and felt good about them, and she thought that would be a good home for me."
Lane picked up plenty of new fans as his journey to getting an offer brought him new fans from all over the country, but now Tucson and UA's fans will call him theirs as he plans to sign with the Wildcats later this week to make things official.