Friday, December 12, 2003
Friday, December 12, 2003 |
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White running well for Tenn. Tech Losing senior tailback and team MVP Jason Ballard could have been a major concern next season for the Tennessee Tech football coaching staff, except for one not-so-minor detail: Derek White. The Derek White who was the top freshman runningback in the Ohio Valley Conference. The Derek White from East Coweta High School who averaged more than seven yards per carry in his rookie season at TTU. That Derek White. The one Tech fans and opponents can’t help but notice for the next three years. A 5-11 powerhouse/speedster from Sharpsburg, White had a major impact on the Golden Eagles in 2003, ranking as the top freshman in the OVC in both rushing and scoring. His 628 yards on the ground for the Golden Eagles was the most by a Tech freshman since Jerome Tillman’s 668 yards in the 1997 season. “Derek’s quickness and breakaway speed gave our offense another dimension,” said head coach Mike Hennigan. “He and Jason were an effective combination because they each had different strengths, and we were able to use them in different situations. “We had good competition with three signees at the tailback position, and Derek is the one who emerged. For the first two or three games, we gave them all an opportunity to see who could make a difference on our team, and Derek is the one who stepped up. “Jason gave us stability at the position, but Derek has developed and put himself in a position to line up at the number one position next year and we’ll still have some experienced people who can compete with him. “With the type of year he had and the stats he had, we can only look for even better things in the future,” Hennigan said. “What he brought to the team was an ability to make explosive plays. He has the ability to run away from the defense, and the quickness to make tacklers miss.” White ranked second on the team in rushing, scoring and all-purpose yardage, and was fourth on the squad in both receiving and total offense. For the year, he had 94 carries for 628 yards and eight rushing touchdowns, and he caught 14 passes for 218 yards and two more scores. That added up to 846 all-purpose yards and 10 touchdowns for 60 points. During the early part of the season, White won back-to-back Ohio Valley Conference Freshman of the Week awards. The first came following his break-out performance against defending conference champ Murray State when he piled up 207 all-purpose yards and scored four touchdowns. He rushed for 150 yards and three touchdowns in 16 attempts, and caught two passes for 57 yards, including a 52-yard touchdown play. The following week, White raced for 152 yards and two touchdowns against UT Martin and added two receptions for seven yards, giving him 159 yards of total offense. Late in the year, White rushed for 88 yards and a touchdown in 11 carries against Southeast Missouri. The son of Vincon and Janice White, Derek lettered three years on the football team under coach Danny Cronic at East Coweta, and also lettered once in track & field, running relay events and the 100-meter dash. As a prep junior, he rushed for 16 touchdowns and more than 1,200 yards. In his senior season, he gained 1,109 yards and scored 10 TDs, and he was named all-county and all-region. In the next few years with the Golden Eagles, indications are strong that a few more honors with the prefix of all- could be added to Derek’s personal trophy case.
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