North Carolina State University Athletics
Amato: Pate Will Be Retained
1/12/2000 12:00:00 AM | Football
Joe Pate, who was the linebackers coach under former NC State football coach Mike O'Cain, has been given an opportunity to join new head coach Chuck Amato's staff.
During the 43-day period when NC State was searching for a coach, Pate, offensive line coach Robbie Caldwell and running backs coach Donnie Treadwell were hired by the university for the purpose of staying in contact with high school prospects. When Treadwell and Caldwell accepted jobs elsewhere, Pate was the only member of O'Cain's staff left behind to maintain an open line of communication with recruits.
"I told coach Pate that he has a job at North Carolina State University," Amato said on Wednesday. "He extended himself in the time when nobody else was here. I can't tell him if he'll be coaching the quarterbacks, the linebackers or anyone else in between. More than likely, he'll be coaching on defense because he's a defensive coach. You talk to people around the country and they know who Joe Pate is. He's a good recruiter and a tireless worker."
Until Amato puts together a full staff of coaches, Pate's future duties will be somewhat up in the air. The process of putting together a new staff could take some time.
"I could hire nine people right now, but I'm going very slow," Amato said. "I'm shooting for the moon. I'm an aggressive person. I can take no, but you never know unless you ask. I've talked real heavily with about four or five people. It's a difficult time with the (coaches) convention going on and a lot of them having a recruiting weekend this weekend. "I have talked to people and I have extended some job offers. Right now, they need time to think. I'm going very, very slow because I'm shooting for the sky."
And while he's recruiting coaches, Amato is also trying to salvage a recruiting class for his program.
"I've been received well, for the most part, by the telephone conversations I've had with recruits. We'll go and hit those they were recruiting here in the past and maybe add a few to it. I think we have around 34 scholarships we could give in the next two years. If we sign ten or twelve this year, and then we can sign the full allotment next year when my staff will be out there. I'd much rather do that."
The national signing period for football begins on February 2.
