Sophomore Surge: Squirrel White Ready For Big Year Two

Originally posted on FanNation Volunteer Country
By Brady Penn | Last updated 4/5/23

Squirrel White is a guy that has been turning heads so far in spring practice for the Tennessee Volunteers, and rightfully so. The sophomore playmaker out of Birmingham, Alabama, did some great things at the tail end of his freshman season in 2022.

In White's first career start on the road against Vanderbilt, he caught four passes and a punt return of twenty yards. Before that, the Volunteer wideout hauled in 5 catches for 122 yards and a score against UT Martin, one of three performances that saw White garner 90+ receiving yards. His best performance, however, came in the season's final contest, with a 108-yard, 9-grab performance against the Clemson Tigers in the Orange Bowl.

One encouraging sign for Vols Nation is that this performance came with Joe Milton III, the projected starter at quarterback, under center. Despite a smaller frame, being under 6 feet (5'10") and under 170 pounds (165), White did not gather his nickname for his stature and twitchiness.

Instead, Squirrel, whose birth name is Marquarius, was given the name by his great-grandmother when he was a baby, mimicking the movements of a squirrel. Following Tennessee's April 1 scrimmage, head coach Josh Heupel was asked about Squirrel.

"(White) did a really good job today. I thought he did a good job of working the middle of the field. He executed from the whistle to the next snap and did that efficiently." With raving reviews from different Tennessee coaches and players, White is bound for a breakout 2023 campaign.

With speed that supposedly reaches up to 23 miles per hour on the GPS tracker, expect to see the shifty pass catcher in the end zone at Neyland Stadium quite often this season. With Joe Milton III, Heupel, and others around him, Squirrel is hoping to go nuts.

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This article first appeared on FanNation Volunteer Country and was syndicated with permission.

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