West Virginia retired the No. 5 worn by quarterback Pat White before the Mountaineers’ season opener against Coastal Carolina on Saturday.
White, who won four consecutive bowl games at West Virginia from 2005-08, is the seventh Mountaineers player to have his number retired.
The number won’t officially be taken out of service until the end of the season, allowing fifth-year player Jaden Bray a chance to conclude his college career wearing No. 5.
White, 40, is best remembered in Morgantown, W.Va., for his play against Georgia in the 2006 Sugar Bowl, against Georgia Tech in the 2007 Gator Bowl, against Oklahoma in the 2008 Fiesta Bowl and against North Carolina in the 2008 Meineke Bowl. According to the West Virginia athletics department, he was the first college quarterback to start and win four bowl games.
He finished his West Virginia career with a 35-8 record as a starter. At the time his career ended, he held Big East records in touchdowns responsible for (103) and total offense (10,529). His record against Top 25 opponents was 7-2.
White ranks third all-time in rushing yards by a college quarterback. His 4,480 yards stand behind the numbers put up by Keenan Reynolds of Navy (4,559) and Denard Robinson of Michigan (4,495).
The Miami Dolphins selected White in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft, but he had only a brief pro career. The Dolphins waived him the following season, and he later joined the Virginia Destroyers of the United Football League, then was back in the NFL as a backup with Washington before moving on to Edmonton of the Canadian Football League.
He retired in 2015 and later transitioned to coaching. He now is the Mountaineers’ assistant quarterbacks coach/assistant to the head coach under Rich Rodriguez, who coached White in college.
The Mountaineers decided to wear their all-white uniforms and asked all fans to wear white to the game in his honor.
