By: Justin Walker | WV Sports Chat
On a recent episode of the PFF College Football show, the hosts broke down each team in the Big 12 for 2025. During their analysis of West Virginia, they spent a lot of time talking about Mountaineer running back, Jahiem White. Co-Host Max Chadwick not only talked about White being one of PFF’s top 10 running backs in the country, but even went as far as to say he could be a dark horse candidate for the Doak Walker Award. The Doak Walker Award is given each year to the top running back in college football. It is voted on be members of the media.
“I think Jahiem White, with how much Rich Rod loves to run the football and how good Jahiem White is, this is a dark horse Doak Walker award winner next year,” said Chadwick.
Chadwick and Co-Host Dalton Wasserman really stressed how they feel Rich Rodriguez’s offense is a perfect fit for White. Wasserman explained how frequently Jacksonville State ran the football under Rodriguez in 2024. “The only teams to run the ball more than Jacksonville State last year under Rich Rodriguez were the three academy schools,” said Wasserman. He went on to say that Jacksonville State ran the ball 60% of the time under Rodriguez last season.
With former backfield mate C.J. Donaldson now at Ohio State, it’s Jahiem White’s time to shine. While Rodriguez and his staff brought in some talented running backs out of the transfer portal, Chadwick believes White will be the “bell cow” for the WVU offense this year.
Even with Donaldson sharing the load, the 5 foot 7 inch White has exceeded 800 yards rushing in each of his first two seasons in Morgantown. While his yards per carry dropped slightly last year, he is still averaging 6.5 yards per carry in his career. Chadwick stated that is “fourth among all running backs over the last two years.” Chadwick also mentioned that the junior “had a 35% forced missed tackle rate as a sophomore, which was tied for third among all power four running backs.”
So, when you combine White’s ability with Rich Rodriguez’s love for running the football, it could be a perfect recipe for White. While many question marks remain for this rebuilt WVU football team, Jahiem White is sure to be one thing Mountaineer fans can get excited about for the 2025 season.
Photo Credit: WVU Athletics
