The Mountaineers By The Numbers: No. 5

A series breaking down the best players to where each jersey number at WVU

Through the years, West Virginia football has had certain jersey numbers become iconic through the play of the men who wore them. To honor this, Mountaineer Maven is beginning a new series entitled “The Mountaineers By The Numbers”, in which we will select the best player to wear each jersey number for the West Virginia Mountaineers football team.

This is an entirely subjective process and if you disagree, let us know! Every edition of the series will include one or more numbers, starting with number one, and running all the way until 100.

Up next,

Number 5: Pat White-QB (2005-2008)

There are players that come to define eras of Mountaineer football over the years. One of those players graduated in 2004 with the departure of Rasheed Marshall, but Pat White came the next season to carry the torch and become even more of an icon than his predecessor.

Pursued by high-level football programs and Major League Baseball organizations out of Daphne, Alabama, the promise of playing quarterback guided White to Morgantown to play in Rich Rodriguez’s spread option offense.

A redshirt in 2004 prepared him to compete for the job the next season, but the more experienced Adam Bednarik held claim to the job going into the season opener against Syracuse. White still saw plenty of action, including a 100-yard rushing game against Wofford, as the Mountaineers started the season with four straight wins.

With Bednarik knocked out of the next game against Virginia Tech with a shoulder injury, White battled the third-ranked Hokies, throwing for a pair of touchdowns in the second quarter against a defense that had allowed just two touchdowns all season.

However, the offense sputtered the rest of the game despite efficient play from the freshman and West Virginia fell, 34-17. White saw minimal action in Bednarik’s return the next week but his moment was soon to come.

Led by quarterback Brian Brohm and tailback Michael Bush, the highly touted Louisville Cardinals came into Morgantown for their first conference game as a member of the Big East. Through three quarters the Mountaineers were thoroughly dominated, trailing 24-7 headed into the final frame.

However, another injury to Bednarik in the second half gave way to White and allowed for him to produce one of the defining moments of his career. Pairing with fellow freshman Steve Slaton in the backfield, he led drives to score 17 unanswered points in the final 8:16 to tie the game and force overtime.

After trading touchdowns in the first two overtimes, Slaton scored again in the third while the Mountaineer defense stopped Brohm at the goal line to seal the game. From that day forward, the legend of Pat White was built in the old gold and blue.

Commanding that powerful offensive attack, White provided a dynamic threat under center as West Virginia claimed the Big East title and a Sugar Bowl championship at season’s end. In total he put together a strong campaign of 828 passing yards with eight touchdowns to go with 952 rushing yards and seven scores.

His sophomore season was even more explosive, becoming the first quarterback in school history to throw and rush for over 1000 yards with 1655 coming by air and 1219 by ground. That included a dominant performance at Heinz Field in the Backyard Brawl.

The Mountaineers entered ranked eighth in the nation and came away with a 45-27 victory as White put on a star effort. Leading the team in passing and rushing, he ran up 204 yards and two touchdowns through the air and 220 yards with two more scores on the ground as West Virginia bowled over the Panthers.

In the final game of the year, White capped off his second bowl win with a victory over Georgia Tech in the Gator Bowl. 2007 seemed to be the time for the Mountaineers to break onto the national stage in a big way.

That season saw even more explosive production from White as he put together the most impressive performance from a West Virginia quarterback of all time. With six games of at least 100 yards both passing and rushing, he finished the season with 1724 through the air and 1335 on the ground.

28 total touchdowns helped the junior become one of the nation’s very best players as the Mountaineers climbed the rankings throughout the years. Despite disappointment that needs no discussion here, he performed impressively throughout the season, including in the Fiesta Bowl.

In that game, he completed ten passes for 176 yards and two touchdowns while running for another 150 yards. This earned him Most Outstanding Player honors for the second BCS bowl game in school history and the third bowl victory of his career.

As a senior, White had an even larger load put on his shoulders with Slaton’s departure as new head coach Bill Stewart took over on the sidelines. He went on to enjoy his best passing season with 1842 yards and 21 touchdowns while still staying productive in the run game.

On the ground, he added 974 yards and eight scores as West Virginia overcame some ups and downs to reach the Meineke Car Care Bowl against North Carolina. There, he showed his progression as a passer with a career-high day of 332 passing yards and three touchdowns.

By the end of his career, White studded the record books at WVU including ranking second all-time in rushing yards, rushing touchdowns, passing yards and passing touchdowns, all of which he is still in the top five of.

Additionally, he became the national record holder for rushing yards by a quarterback, a record only eclipsed by Denard Robinson who spent time at running back at Michigan. He was a three-time Big East First Team selection and two-time conference Player of The Year

After graduating from West Virginia, White became a second round NFL draft pick by the Miami Dolphins. He spent one year in Miami but had his season ended by a helmet to helmet hit by Pittsburgh Steelers defensive back Ike Taylor.

He was released the next preseason, later spending time with the Washington Redskins, as well as the Virginia Destroyers of the United Football League and Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League.

Following his retirement from professional football, he briefly pursued a career in baseball after being drafted out of high school in 2004. He later turned to coaching, joining his college teammate Ryan Stanchek on staff at Alcorn State.

He was recently hired to coach running backs at South Florida under new Bulls head coach Jeff Scott and alongside former WVU assistant Xavier Dye.

Honorable Mentions

Jack Eastwood-DE (1973-75)

Ed Hill-WR (1990-93)

Antonio Brown-WR (1998-2001)

Chris Henry-WR (2003-04)

Mario Alford-WR (2013-14)