Mickey Furfari
Coley White joins star brother at WVU
MORGANTOWN — Coley White was among 20-some West Virginia University football recruits who checked in at Puskar Center this weekend for summer workouts.
He is a talented 6-1, 175-pound quarterback from Daphne, Ala., and, yes, the youngster happens to be a brother of Heisman Trophy candidate Patrick White.
“This will be the first time in my life that I’ve been on the same team with a sibling, so it’s going to be exciting,” said the Mountaineers’ record-breaking fourth-year starter last week.
“I talk to him every day (on the phone) and he definitely sounds excited. He’s just talking about taking my position once he gets onto the field. So he’ll get started on Monday.”
Patrick will tell you that Coley possesses more potential than he did when coming to Morgantown in 2004 and was redshirted as a freshman.
“He’s the best athlete in the family,” he said. And he emphasized that he wasn’t saying that just to be kind but that’s his honest assessment.
Coley’s statistics as a senior at Daphne High certainly were impressive. He accounted for nearly 2,500 yards in total offense, 1,500 passing and 964 rushing. He led his team to an 11-2 record and a state 6-A runner-up finish.
If you’re interested in comparisons, Patrick topped 3,393 yards in his last year of high school competition. He rushed for 1,905 yards and passed for 1,488 yards and his team also was state 6-A runner-up.
Asked whether he thinks Coley is capable of doing what he has done here, Patrick White replied:
“He’s just going to do what he can do. We’re two different bodies and two different people. That’s all he can be — himself. But I’m definitely excited that he’s as good as he is.”
And that’s certainly well said by the two-time Big East Conference Offensive Player of the Year, who has set numerous school and conference records for Coley and others to try to break.
In case you’re wondering, the two brothers won’t be rooming together. Patrick pointed out that all incoming freshmen at WVU are required to stay in a dormitory.
Coley wants to create his own pathway as a Mountaineer while following in Patrick’s footsteps. But the elder White certainly will try to help him get started, just as he has done for other rookies.
“So as his big brother, I’m sure he wants me to help him some as he learns the system and what’s going on,” Patrick said.
The quarterbacks and wide receivers have been working on the passing game three days each week this summer. That’s about the same as they have done in the past, according to White.
“Yes, I do feel a year older and a year smarter a little bit,” he said. “And, of course, I have another year of experience.”
Patrick White likes his new Web site, which provides just about anything one would want to know about this All-America star, who’s the reigning two-time Amateur Athlete of the Year in Alabama as well as West Virginia.
- Mickey Furfari
-
-
FURFARI COLUMN - Huggins: Decision is ‘totally’ up to Ebanks
Speculation continues to circulate on whether West Virginia sophomore Devin Ebanks will return next season or turn professional.
-
FURFARI COLUMN - Interest in WVU basketball is at peak pitch
Interest in men’s basketball was never higher than it has been this year.
So it certainly is not surprising that the Mountaineers, 24-6 for the regular season and nationally ranked in the Top 10, set an all-time attendance record at the Coliseum turnstiles.
-
FURFARI COLUMN - Huggins isn’t for old late-game foul rule
There was a rule in men’s basketball many years ago giving a team fouled during the final two minutes of the game the choice to shoot free throws or take the ball out of bounds.
-
FURFARI COLUMN - Miles has dream of WVU Final Four
If the West Virginia University women’s basketball team reaches the NCAA Final Four this year, it would be a “dream come true” for Sarah Miles.
-
FURFARI COLUMN - Fred Schaus was ‘One in a million’
The late Adolph Rupp, legendary basketball coach at Kentucky, told West Virginia University superstar Jerry West “son, you’re one in a million,” some years ago.
-
FURFARI COLUMN - WVU football cashes in on TV revenue
West Virginia University will receive slightly more than $3.5 million from the Big East Conference for football television revenue in the 2009 season.
-
FURFARI COLUMN - WVU’s Bryant stepping up of late
Darryl “Truck” Bryant has been one of the most consistent performers on the nationally 11th-ranked West Virginia University men’s basketball team (15-3) recently.
-
FURFARI COLUMN:Jones developing nicely for WVU
Kevin Jones, a sparkling 6-8, 250-pound sophomore, possesses all anyone could ask in one of the “Big Three” of the West Virginia University men’s basketball team.
The Mount Vernon, N.Y., native is second in both scoring (15.8 points) and rebounding (7.9 rebounds) per game.
-
FURFARI COLUMN: Gentleman Gene Corum will be missed
Most folks called him Gentleman Gene Corum.
No other description could have been more appropriate for West Virginia University’s head football coach from 1960-65. I cannot think of anyone being more gentle in my 65 years of sports coverage.
-
FURFARI COLUMN - WVU men have world of potential
It is downright difficult to compare athletic teams of different eras.
- More Mickey Furfari Headlines
-
FURFARI COLUMN - Huggins: Decision is ‘totally’ up to Ebanks
