(via USF Communications) - USF head football coach Jeff Scott announced Thursday the addition of former West Virginia standout quarterback Pat White to the Bulls’ staff as running backs coach.
A former two-time Big East Offensive Player of the Year as a quarterback at West Virginia, White comes to USF after serving the last two seasons as quarterbacks coach at Alcorn State.
“We are very excited to have Pat join our staff and lead our running backs unit,” Scott said. “Pat was an electrifying player that I’m sure Bulls fans remember well. He played at a very high level, broke records and won a lot of games as a quarterback at West Virginia and has had tremendous success in two seasons coaching at Alcorn State. He will be a great coach and mentor for our USF players.”
White made an immediate impact in two seasons at Alcorn State (2018-19), coaching two different quarterbacks to SWAC Offensive Player of the Year honors as the Braves won back-to-back SWAC Championships and made a pair of appearances in the Celebration Bowl.
In 2019, White coached quarterback Felix Harper to earning SWAC Offensive Player of the Year and HBCU All-America First-Team honors. Harper ranked fourth in the nation in passing touchdowns (33), fifth in points responsible for per game (19.7), seventh in passing efficiency (160.7) and eighth in yards per completion (14.5). He was named a finalist for the HBCU Player of the Year award, and one of four finalists for the C Spire Conerly Trophy, which was awarded to the best player in the state of Mississippi.
In his first season with Alcorn State in 2018, White developed quarterback Noah Johnson into the SWAC Offensive Player of the Year and SWAC Championship Game Offensive MVP. Johnson was one of four finalists for the HBCU Player of the Year award and one of 25 finalists for the Walter Payton Award, honoring the best player in FCS. He also was among four finalists for the C Spire Conerly Trophy.
The Braves led the SWAC in total offense with 473.3 yards per game and ranked seventh in all of FCS in first downs and top 10 in time of possession.
One of the most explosive athletes in college football during his playing career, White posted a 35-8 record as the starting quarterback for the Mountaineers (sixth all-time in the NCAA record books for QB victories at the time), and became the first quarterback to have started and won four bowl games. He was named MVP of a bowl game three times (Gator, Fiesta & Meineke Car Care) and led WVU to an upset victory over the No. 9-ranked SEC champion Georgia in the 2006 BCSNokia Sugar Bowl and a stunning 20-point upset over No. 4-ranked Big 12 champion Oklahoma in the 2008 BCSTostitos Fiesta Bowl.
Named Big East Offensive Player of the Year in 2006 and 2007 and a first-team All-Big East honoree in three seasons (2006-08), White finished sixth in Heisman Trophy voting in 2007 and seventh in 2008. White finished his career with 6,051 yards and 56 touchdowns passing and 4,480 yards and 47 touchdowns rushing for a West Virginia record of 10,531 total yards and 103 touchdowns, the only player in Big East history to ever account for over 100 touchdowns from any position and the second-most total yards in league history. His rushing total set the then NCAA record for rushing yards by a quarterback.
In the 48-28 victory over Oklahomain the Fiesta Bowl, he earned the MVP award after passing for 176 yards and two touchdowns and rushing for 150 yards. ESPN ranked White's performance in the Fiesta Bowl as the No. 9 best inBCS bowl game history.
White ended his senior season of 2009 with career highs of 1,844 yards and 21 touchdowns passing 974 yards rushing and eight touchdowns. One of only nine players in NCAA history to rush for 200 yards and pass for 200 yards in a game, White posted the highest single-game rushing total by a quarterback in Big East history with 247 yards against Syracuse on Oct. 14, 2006. He posted three of the top seven highest rushing games in WVU history.
He was inducted into the WVU Sports Hall of Fame in 2018.
After earning his bachelor’s degree from West Virginia in 2008, White was selected in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft by the Miami Dolphins. He also played professionally with the Virginia Destroyers (2011) in the United Football League, the Washington Redskins (2013), and the Edmonton Eskimos (2014) in the Canadian Football League.
White also played stints in professional baseball as an outfielder with the Anaheim Angels and in the minor leagues with the Kansas City Royals and Miami Marlins.
A native of Daphne, Ala., White rushed for 1,905 yards and 31 touchdowns his senior year at Daphne HS while passing for 1,488 yards and 15 touchdowns. He also won two state championships as both a pitcher and outfielder in baseball.