College Football
Pair of Dynamic WVU Legends Earn High Praise Among College Football All-Time Greats
WVU football fans don’t need anyone to tell them how dynamic Pat White and Tavon Austin were during their time as Mountaineers. However, the affirmation still has to be nice to see nonetheless.
CBS Sports’ Brad Crawford placed both White and Austin on his list of college football’s 25 most dynamic players of the last 25 years.
Below is what Crawford said about why Austin cracked his top 10.
“When former Mountaineers coach Dana Holgorsen assumed the play-calling role in 201, he did so with Austin as his not-so-secret weapon. Austin’s touches increased and so did his production as one of the fastest players in the country scored nine times on offense and twice on special teams. His senior campaign was even better — a nation-leading 114 receptions for 1,289 yards and 12 touchdowns to go along with 8.9 yards per carry and three kick return scores. In his collegiate finale, West Virginia beat Clemson, 70-33, in Miami thanks to Austin’s 280 total yards and four touchdowns.”
Only two spots behind, White checks in at No. 12 on the list.
“White, Steve Slaton and Austin … pick your poison. West Virginia had options over a multiyear stretch of offensive success in the late 2000s. At quarterback, White was the straw who stirred the drink for one of the nation’s leading rushing attacks, compiling 3,528 yards on the ground over his final three seasons with 40 touchdowns. Teams tried to keep the Mountaineers honest, but White was an efficient passer, too. Like Jackson, when White was one-on-one with a defender around the edge, he almost always made the first man miss en route to big yardage,” said Crawford.
Austin was a star at WVU from 2009-12, accumulating 4,446 scrimmage yards throughout his four years in Morgantown. Austin’s WVU highlight tape is what he will always be remembered for from his college days. The Baltimore, Md. native was untouchable when he was in the open field. Austin scored 15 touchdowns his senior year. He was a key part of record setting Orange Bowl winning team.
Courtesy of WVU Athletics
As Mountaineers Nation is well aware, White is widely recognized as one of the most explosive and accomplished players in college football history. While at West Virginia, he was named Big East Offensive Player of the Year back-to-back seasons (2006-07). He led them to a 35-8 record and became the first quarterback to start and win four bowl games in program history.
Courtesy of WVU Athletics
Statistically, White threw for 6,051 yards and 56 touchdowns and ran for 4,480 yards and 47 scores on the ground, which set a then-NCAA record for rushing yards by a quarterback. White was honored a first-team All-Big East (2006-08) player three out of his four years as a starter in college. He was inducted into the West Virginia University Sports Hall of Fame in 2018.
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