Neal Brown on Expectations for Jahiem White, Avoiding Sophomore Slump

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Jahiem White emerging will forever go down as a memorable part of the success of the 2023 season for WVU, but Neal Brown also hopes it ends up being just a footnote of White’s Mountaineer legacy.

While opening up fall camp, Brown talked about White’s transition from freshman sensation to vying for national recognition. Brown said he feels White is flying under the radar, but is “special” and should be even better in 2024.

WVU HC Neal Brown says Jahiem White is flying under the radar nationally but a sophomore slump is real and common. Brown also noted he thinks White is special but won’t be happy if he simply duplicates numbers in 2024.

— Mike J. Asti (@MikeAsti11) July 31, 2024

But Brown also made sure to note that the potential for a sophomore slump is real and opposing coaches now have college film of White in college to help prepare. Brown pulled back the curtain from one of his one-on-one conversations with White, revealing that White made it clear he would not be happy if he simply duplicated his freshman numbers this season.

Can White, who will now be wearing No. 1, become one of the overall best running backs in the entire country? At least one national outlet believes that’s a very real possibility. PFF has White ranked as the highest graded running back in the Big 12. White has a 89.1 grade, just a bit behind Texas Tech’s Tahj Brooks at 90.1.

Where Does WVU’s Jahiem White Rank Among Big 12 Running Backs?

After starting the season behind Donaldson, White eventually emerged as West Virginia’s leading rusher. White’s first big game came against BYU, running for 146 yards on only 16 carries. He then really caught everyone’s attention (including a former NFL MVP) after putting up monster numbers in a win over Cincinnati. White averaged 9.7 yards per touch, totaling 204 yards on the ground and then another 75 yards receiving.

White should be even better with a college season under his belt, but he won’t be able to surprise anyone anymore. If White does live up the hype, the Mountaineer offense should be more potent than it’s been in years.

For a related story, Mike Asti highlighted several key storylines for fans to keep an eye on throughout fall camp.