Who is William F. Tate? All we know about ex-LSU president set to join Rutgers 

William F. Tate left his position as the president of Louisiana State University after four years to join Rutgers University. On Monday, Rutgers announced Tate will be their new president, with Jonathan Holloway stepping down. He will be officially appointed as their new leader on July 1.

Tate became the LSU president in May 2021. He contributed greatly to the team's success in sports and health studies, holding faculty appointments for studies like sociology and epidemiology. In a press release about his hire, Rutgers noted that LSU has over 55,000 students in its health centers, including 12,000 graduate students.

Before becoming LSU president in May 2021, Tate was the Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost of the University of South Carolina in 2020. During that time, he held faculty appointments to improve health education.

He studied at Northern Illinois University to earn his Bachelor of Science degree in economics with a minor in mathematical science.

He is married to Kim Cash Tate, an author, bible teacher, speaker, and singer/songwriter. They have two children, who are now adults.

The new Rutgers president could lead to changes that help the Scarlet Knights compete in college football. Last year, the team finished with a 7-6 record and earned a bowl game. On Dec. 26, the Scarlet Knights suffered a 44-41 loss to the Kansas State Wildcats in the Rate Bowl.

The 2025 season will help Tate determine what changes need to be made for the Scarlet Knights to become competitive in winning games and recruiting new stars, as he did for LSU.

LSU's success and players that thrived under William F. Tate's leadership

One of the key hires under Tate's leadership was coach Brian Kelly for the 2022 season. The Tigers had a 29-11 record over the last three years and qualified for bowl games. LSU had several talented players, including Jayden Daniels and Malik Nabers, during Tate's tenure.

Daniels transferred to LSU for the 2022 season after three seasons with the Arizona State Sun Devils. The acquisition of Daniels allowed the quarterback to perform at his best and become a second pick in the 2024 NFL draft to the Washington Commanders. He achieved 502 completions for 6,725 yards and 57 touchdowns.

Nabers played three years for LSU with 189 receptions for 3,003 yards and 21 touchdowns. The New York Giants selected the wide receiver sixth in the 2024 NFL draft.

Quarterback Garrett Nussmeier is another player signed under Tate's tenure at LSU. He has 466 completions for 5,772 yards and 40 touchdowns for his career thus far. Last year, LSU finished the season with a 9-4 record and placed eighth in the Southeastern Conference.

On Dec. 31, the Tigers defeated the Baylor Bears 44-31 to win the Texas Bowl. Nussmeier completed 24 of 34 passes for 313 yards and three touchdowns. He is set to start for the Tigers in 2025 and potentially become a top pick in the 2026 NFL draft.