Neal Brown Sees 'Special' Talent in Jahiem White

Can West Virginia running back Jahiem White avoid the sophomore slump?

Christopher Hall - West Virginia on SI

Jahiem White only had a handful of offers coming out of high school and West Virginia was the only Power Four school that believed in him. He entered a running back room a year ago that returned CJ Donaldson, Justin Johnson Jr., and Jaylen Anderson. It didn't feel like there would be much of an opportunity for him to make a name for himself in year one, but he certainly did.

Running backs coach Chad Scott mentioned White could have made an impact earlier in the year, but had to improve his practice habits and be more consistent. Once he started showing more throughout the practice week, he not only found his way onto the field but became one of the nation's most explosive players. He went over the century mark in three of the team's final five games, including a 204-yard day in the win over Cincinnati.

“I think he’s special. I really do. He can do a lot," head coach Neal Brown stated on Wednesday. "He’s maturing as a player and as a guy. There’s a lot of room for improvement, but he can do a lot of things and there’s not a whole lot of people talking about him. You’re asking questions about him, but I didn’t get asked about him at media days. Not one person asked me about him. I haven’t done an interview where someone’s asked me about him. He’s flying under the radar and we mention those things.”

Everyone's biggest fear? White takes a step back in 2024.

“The reality of a sophomore slump, those happen a lot and so, we’ve just tried to hit it head on," Brown stated. "The way I talk to him about it is, look at your numbers from last year and if I told you you’re going to have the same numbers is that going to be something you’re going to be happy with? The answer is no. He’s not going to be happy."

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