Watch: Auburn signee Walker White shines in Army All-American Bowl
After building a 31-14 lead, the West team survived a rally by the East to escape with a 31-28 win in the 2024 Army All-American Bowl inside the Alamodome in San Antonio (Texas).
East scored first via a 22-yard connection from Arizona signee Demond Williams to the nation's No. 1 recruit and Ohio State signee Jeremiah Smith on the game's opening drive.
Little Rock Christian alumnus and Auburn signee Walker White (6-3, 225) earned the start for West following an impressive week of practice and his squad responded on the ensuing drive. On second and eight, Walker took the shotgun snap, looked to his left and saw Georgia signee Nate Frazier streaking down the left sideline, then White hit him in stride for the 49-yard tying score.
"I knew we had a slant on the outside and the running back running a wheel route," White said regarding the scoring play. "Coach (Phillip) Hawkins, our head coach, told me that it would be a touchdown if we would just run it to the boundary.
"That is exactly what we did, we got Nate in there who can fly. I just threw it up for him and he made a great play. It was our first touchdown of the game and it was electric."
Along with White, four other Arkansans played for the West team - Arkansas signees Charlie Collins (Mills) and Sam Dubwig (Cabot), along with Missouri signee Courtney Crutchfield, whom White connected with on some passes. Collins caused some problems in East's backfield and sacked Purdue signee Marcos Davila.
With his high school career complete, White is scheduled to arrive at Auburn next week and will go through spring practice with the Tigers. White led Little Rock Christian to a Class 6A runner-up finish and 10 victories while completing 63% of his passes for 2,660 yards and 29 touchdowns, along with 534 yards and 8 scores on the ground.
(Cover photo by Auburn Undercover/Jason Caldwell)
(Video by Ryan Childers)
– Kyle Sutherland | @k_sutherlandAR