Record day for WVU’s White
By JIM BUTTA, jbutta@newsandsentinel.comMORGANTOWN-West Virginia's faint hopes of a fifth Big East title in the last six years continued on Saturday when the Mountaineers (7-3, 4-1 Big East) overcame a game, but out-manned Louisville Cardinal team, 35-21, at Papa Johns Cardinal Stadium.
Senior quarterback Patrick White continued to build his resume for the upcoming NFL draft by eclipsing former Syracuse all-American Donovan McNaab's mark for touchdowns with 98.
McNaab, the starting signal caller for the Philadelphia Eagles, accounted for 96 touchdowns during his tenure at Syracuse (1995-98).
White, who finished with 200 yards and three touchdowns rushing and 122 passing yards and two touchdown passes, also surpassed Missouri's Brad Smith as the NCAA's all-time career quarterback rusher with 4,292 career yards. Smith rushed for 4,289 yards and 45 touchdowns on 799 carries for the Tigers from 2003-05.
"If we don't admire what No. 5 has done, I just don't know how people can go through life," WVU coach Bill Stewart explained to the media following the game. "It's a tremendous honor for him, for his offensive line and for his coaching staff."
Stewart could be adding his name to the West Virginia record book as well over the next two weekends.
West Virginia's 7-3 mark in Stewart's first year at the helm places him within two wins of the all-time win mark (9-3) for a rookie head coach of the Mountaineers. A mark established by Dudley S. Degroot during the 1948 season. With a win over Pittsburgh on Friday, the New Martinsville native could enter into a second place tie with Bobby Bowden (8-3, 1970), Ira Errett Rodgers (8-1, 1925), Mont McIntire (8-2, 1919) and Carl Forkum (8-1, 1905).
Stewart's seventh win in his first season ties him with H.E. Trout's 1903 (7-1) squad and gives him a better initial year than Hall of Fame coach Don Nehlen, who went 6-6 in his first season in Morgantown.
WVU's final two regular season games are at noon Friday against No. 20 Pittsburgh, who dropped a 28-21 decision at No. 19 Cincinnati Saturday night, and White's final home game against South Florida on Saturday, Dec. 6.
Both teams beat WVU last year.
The Panthers' 13-9 victory in the 100th edition of the "Backyard Brawl" knocked WVU out of national title contention and also gave Pitt head coach Dave Wannstedt a one-game winning streak against the Mountaineers while the Bulls' 21-13 victory in Tampa last season gave head coach Jim Leavitt a two-game winning streak against the Big East champions.
Sophomore Noel Devine added his name to the record book as well, rushing for 156 yards to push his 2008 total to 1,123 yards and make him the 12th Mountaineer running back to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark in the last 13 seasons.
Only in 2004, when WVU went 8-4 and won a share of the Big East crown, did the Mountaineers not have a 1,000-yard rusher.
