Jahiem White poised for big season, Neal Brown surprised by lack of media attention

Incoming West Virginia football sophomore Jahiem White had a breakout season in 2023 for the Mountaineers, racking up 842 rushing yards, 125 receiving yards, and six total touchdowns over the course of the season.

This year, White is back and ready to show just how talented he is on the gridiron. And according to head coach Neal Brown, talent is something White has in spades.

"I think (Jahiem White) is special. I think he can do a lot," Brown said after the first preseason camp practice on Wednesday.

Brown understands that as an underclassmen, there is still a lot of growth in terms of football skill and mental stamina for the Mountaineer running back, but he expects that fans will see White turn some heads on the field this season -- despite the lack of attention from analysts and pundits.

"Now he's still maturing as a player, so there is still a lot of room for improvement, but he can do a lot of things and there are not a whole lot of people talking about him,” Brown added.

In fact, White received barely a mention earlier this month at Big 12 Media Days, which Brown found a bit surprising. However, he knows this will allow White to take some opponents by surprise this fall, and he’s also been using the lack of attention towards White to motivate the young player.

"I didn't get one question about him at media day, not one person asked me about him," Brown said. "I haven't done an interview (with a national media member) where somebody has asked me about him, so he's flying under the radar. And we've mentioned those things to him."