It's been a long time since the West Virginia offense featured an elusive, dynamic playmaker that can take it the distance at any point from any spot on the field. Sure, they've had some high-level running backs and wide receivers but none of them possessed the same "wow" factor like Tavon Austin.
There is and always will be only one Tavon.
I'm not here to tell you that a young Mountaineer running back is the second coming of the WVU legend, but I am here to proclaim Jahiem White as the most electrifying player since Austin zigged and zagged his way into the end zone time after time while donning the Old Gold and Blue.
White spent much of his true freshman season learning how to practice, as running backs coach and co-offensive coordinator Chad Scott would say.
It sounds silly, but that jump from high school to college is no joke. Your daily routine is completely different. From classes to film study to the weight room, practice, game prep - everything. But once White figured it out, he took off.
October 28th against UCF marked the first time White really got an extended look. He rushed for 85 yards and a touchdowns on nine carries that day only to follow that up with a 146-yard performance against BYU which many dub as his coming out party.
In the final home game of the season, some may have thought they were watching a carbon copy of Tavon (I get it, different position, but you get the point) by seeing him run rampant all over the Cincinnati defense. Every time he touched the ball, you knew he was about to do something special with it. That day, he ended with 204 yards on the ground with a touchdown and had a 75-yard touchdown reception where he just ran away from everyone.
For him to finish the season with 842 rushing yards and four touchdowns and 125 receiving yards and two touchdown receptions, it's pretty remarkable when you realize he really only played half of the season.
Now that he's been in Morgantown for a year and has a better understanding of what's expected of him, he's well on his way to becoming the best all-around skill player in the Big 12. By the time he graduates, he will be one of college football's biggest stars.
Yeah, I said it. And if you've been following me since I first began covering WVU in 2016, you're well aware that I don't just throw words like that around.
This kid has the "it" factor. The kind of playmaking ability that can single-handedly win you games. Jahiem White is the type of player that can take your offense to the next level, giving you a chance to come out on top every time you take the field.
West Virginia fans, you should be excited about what this young man is about to do. WVU opponents, not so much.
To read more about Jahiem's journey to West Virginia, click here. After committing to WVU, Jahiem agreed to do a blog on Mountaineers Now where he wrote three posts to help give the fanbase an early look at the player/person they were getting.
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