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WVU's Jahiem White Ranked as One of the Top Running Backs Entering 2025 Season

A big season could be in store for the West Virginia star running back.

Schuyler Callihan

Oct 5, 2024; Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers running back Jahiem White (1) runs the ball against the Oklahoma State Cowboys during the third quarter at Boone Pickens Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images
Oct 5, 2024; Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers running back Jahiem White (1) runs the ball against the Oklahoma State Cowboys during the third quarter at Boone Pickens Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images / William Purnell-Imagn Images
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There are very few returning players from last year's West Virginia football team who logged a ton of snaps, but new head coach Rich Rodriguez and Co. were able to hold onto arguably its most talented player from the previous regime - running back Jahiem White.

According to Max Chadwick of Pro Football Focus, White will enter the 2025 season as 10th-best running back in all of college football.

Chadwick's thoughts

"White hasn’t handled as many carries as others on this list, but he’s made the most of every opportunity. His 35% forced missed tackle rate as a sophomore tied for third among Power Four running backs, and his 6.5 yards per carry career average ranks fourth among all running backs since 2023. 

"He’s an elite athlete at 5-foot-7 and 195 pounds and is set to be the bell-cow for the Mountaineers as a junior, with quarterback Garrett Greene off to the NFL and fellow tailback CJ Donaldson Jr. transferring to Ohio State."

What is White's potential in 2025?

Ben Queen-Imagn Images
Nov 16, 2024; Morgantown, West Virginia, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers running back Jahiem White (1) runs the ball during the first quarter against the Baylor Bears at Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-Imagn Images / Ben Queen-Imagn Images

For the first time in his career, White will without question be the clear-cut No. 1 back, as Chadwick mentioned. Rodriguez did add LJ Turner from Division II Catawba College and Northern Iowa transfer Tye Edwards, but White is going to be the feature back. This offense will run through him, and the unit's success will largely depend on how he performs on a weekly basis.

Rich Rod has had a ton of success with running backs over his coaching career, so it's hard not to think White could put up huge, videogame-like numbers this fall. He'll rush for over 1,000 yards. The real question is, how far over that mark will he go?

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Schuyler Callihan
SCHUYLER CALLIHAN

Schuyler Callihan is the publisher of West Virginia On SI and has been a trusted source covering the Mountaineers since 2016. He is the host of Between The Eers, The Walk Thru Game Day Show, and In the Gun Podcast. The Wheeling, WV native moved to Charlotte, North Carolina in 2020 to cover the Charlotte Hornets and Carolina Panthers.

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