The West Virginia Mountaineers open the college football season against Coastal Carolina on Saturday, with kickoff set for 12:00 p.m. ET at Milan Puskar Stadium in Morgantown. The Mountaineers are heavy favorites in what should be a prime bounce-back opportunity for Rich Rodriguez's squad in 2026.
After finishing 4-8 last season, WVU loaded up in the transfer portal and faces a manageable early-season schedule. But Saturday's game isn't just about getting off to a hot start. It's also a chance to honor one of the program's most defining figures: former Mountaineers star quarterback Pat White.
West Virginia will retire White's iconic No. 5 jersey, making him just the second quarterback in program history to receive the honor, joining Major Harris and his No. 9. More news: Bill Belichick’s Son Faces Alarming Allegations in Bombshell UNC Investigation More news: Notre Dame to Honor Coaching Legend Lou Holtz With Season-Long Tribute White is still one of the best players to ever put on a West Virginia jersey. From 2005 to 2008, he led the Mountaineers to a 35-8 record as a starter, throwing for 6,049 yards and 56 touchdowns while also running for 4,480 yards and 47 more scores.
That rushing total made him the NCAA's all-time leading rushing quarterback at the time (he's since dropped to third). No other quarterback has ever started and won four bowl games in a row like White did. His best moment came in the Fiesta Bowl, where he beat Oklahoma 48-28 and picked up MVP honors after throwing for 176 yards and two touchdowns and rushing for 150 more.
He was named Big East Offensive Player of the Year twice and finished sixth and seventh in Heisman voting in back-to-back years. White was already inducted into the WVU Sports Hall of Fame in 2018. Now, he'll add a retired jersey to his legacy.
More news: Paul Finebaum Hints Belichick Could Be Out at UNC Amid Ongoing Investigation
Extract — continue reading at the source.
