MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Jahiem White made it known what he’s capable of with the football in his hands as a true freshman at West Virginia.
As White’s role increased throughout the 2023 season, so, too, did his production. Over the final five regular season games as well as a victory against North Carolina in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl, White rushed for 657 of his 842 yards in his welcoming season to college football. Over the last three games, he hauled in four passes for 119 yards and a pair of scores, including a 75-yard touchdown reception in a win over Cincinnati that served as the Mountaineers’ longest pass play of the season from scrimmage.
So as White starts his second session of spring football after enrolling in January of 2023, the focus is more on what he can do without the ball than with it.
“On first and second down back, that kid is absolutely special,” said Chad Scott, the Mountaineers’ offensive coordinator/running backs coach. “He can be special on third down, but he has to be a third down back. Pass pro recognition is what he has to work on this spring.”
Of all Division I players with at least 100 carries in 2023, White’s 7.72 yards per attempt ranked second to only Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Jayden Daniels of LSU.
In addition to his 842 rushing yards, White had 125 yards worth of receptions and four of his five catches came over the final three games.
For the 5-foot-7, 192-pound native of York, Pa., recognizing defensive looks is the next step.
“He’s pretty strong and really savvy in his ability to be able to mix up picking it up and cut-blocking,” Scott said. “He has to become very comfortable picking it up and recognizing just as he does carrying the football. If he can become a three-down back where his confidence in recognizing the different looks and ways they try to trick him on pass-pro, wow, he’s going to be on a whole other level, because he’s special.”
Through West Virginia’s first seven games of 2023, White had 25 carries, and only 13 outside of his 12 rushes for 110 yards in his college debut against Duquesne of the FCS.
But starting with an 85-yard rushing effort that included his first touchdown against FBS competition in a win at Central Florida, White became a focal point of the Mountaineers’ offense and went on to finish as the team’s leading rusher.
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