Where Are They Now: Drew Tate

Photo courtesy of the Toronto Argonauts Former Hawkeye quarterback Drew Tate is working his way up on the coaching ranks and currently serves as an offensive assistant for the Toronto Argonauts.

It’ll always be one of the most miraculous finishes to an Iowa football game.

When Drew Tate (08BA) connected with Warren Halloway (04BA) on a 56-yard touchdown pass as time expired in the 2005 Capital One Bowl—leading Iowa to a come-from-behind win over LSU—it sent Hawkeye fans into a frenzy.

“It was a really cool, really special experience,” says Tate.

While it’s been two decades since that incredible season—which saw Iowa finish 10-2 and win a share of the Big Ten Conference title—Tate continues to work in a sport he loves.

“Since I was six years old, I knew I wanted to play and coach football,” says Tate, who is an offensive assistant coach for the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League. “I was able to play the game for a long time, and now it’s fun to help young guys both on and off the field.”

Tate and his 2004 teammates will be honored during Iowa’s Oct. 12 home match-up against Washington. We caught up with Tate to discuss his football memories and his coaching career.

Who introduced you to the game?

• My mom, Martha, ended up marrying the football coach (Dick Olin) in my hometown of Baytown, Texas, and my brother and I started to go to football games all the time. That’s really where it all started.

What are some of your favorite memories from your time at Iowa?

• It’s not the football memories anymore. It’s the time in college—hanging out in Iowa City with friends, living with my roommates, and being in the locker room with teammates. Those memories hold much more water now.

The 2004 Iowa football season is special to so many Hawkeyes. What does that season mean to you?

• What a year, and it was filled with a lot of great memories. We were very fortunate to have that kind of year, and now at 39 years old—being in the game for 32 years—it’s still really special and means the world.

What are some of the biggest lessons you’ve learned as a coach?

• My first assistant coaching job was on defense at Coastal Carolina in 2018, and I’d never been in a defensive team meeting in my life. It was eye-opening to just listen and hear them talk about film. Then, when I was at Northern Iowa, I worked with tight ends. I’d never coached a position with a hand in the dirt, and I learned a lot about fronts and technique.
  
  Here in Toronto, I work with wide receivers. As a quarterback, I’ve never ran a route. I’ve thrown thousands of them playing quarterback. I have a good feeling where receivers need to go and when they need to be there, but I’ve also learned that receivers are very technical.
  
  I’ve been blessed to work with good people and amazing players everywhere I’ve been.

How did playing for Head Coach Kirk Ferentz impact your coaching perspective?

• Football is such a people business. It’s about managing people. That’s what makes Coach Ferentz so special. He’s been able to master that concept for 25 years now.
  
  I’m a fiery guy, but I like to think that I’m a blend of Coach Ferentz and some of the other coaches—including my dad—that I’ve had the opportunity to work with over the years.