Sherod White appreciates all the love from the Bobcats.
The Heritage High School senior running back has garnered interest from schools throughout the West. The explosive 5-foot-10, 175-pound speedster has received offers from New Mexico, Idaho and Howard while receiving interest from most of the Big Sky Conference.
The consistent attention paid to him by Montana State stood out. White gave his verbal commitment to Bobcat head coach Jeff Choate on August 11.
“I really like how the showed me a lot of love out of all the schools that recruited me,” White said. “They kept showing me love after I committed. Plus I like hearing about the program.”
The two-star recruit put up eye-popping numbers as a junior. He rushed for 1,171 yards on just 138 carries. He averaged 8.5 yards per carry, 106.5 yards per game and scored for 15 touchdowns.
The production for the Romoland, California high school caught the attention of MSU running backs coach and recruiting coordinator Michael Pitre, the Bobcats’ primary recruiter in Southern California. MSU first contacted White this summer. The recruitment did not last long. Pitre and Choate sealed the deal quickly.
“Out of all the schools that recruited me, he’s the first head coach to actually talk to me,” White said. “He seems like a very cool guy when I was on the phone with him.”
“I like how Pitre talks to me a lot and that he shows interest in me. He has big plans for me so I can do big things. He wants me to succeed. He wants me to succeed.”
California recruiting guru Greg Biggins called White one of California’s top “two-way talents” because of White’s prowess as a free safety. In 2016, White had 21 tackles and snared eight interceptions. He has 11 interceptions in his varsity career.
But it’s running back where White will spend his college career.
“It’s my favorite position because I like to make plays and I’m really good at making plays,” White said. “When I have the ball in my hands, I can do a lot of great things. I like defense as much too so any position works for me.
“We run the ball a lot. I try to get to the outside and use my speed. I’ll run up the middle too. I can be physical.”
In the first game of his senior year, White rushed 10 times for 128 yards and three first-half touchdowns as Heritage posted a 42-0 win over Great Oak High, the alma mater of MSU freshman linebacker Chad Kanow. White helped lead a rushing attack that piled up 366 yards on the ground.
“It felt really good,” White told the Riverside Press-Enterprise following the win, “because we’ve been working so hard all summer, and then we come out here and show what we’ve been working for.”
White has earned a reputation as one of California’s top running back prospects — Scout.com ranks him as the No. 12 tailback in the Golden State — thanks to performances at Redlands camps with teams like Fresno State, BYU, Weber State and Arizona in attendance.
MSU’s pitch of the potential to play early, the promise of a strong education — White is interested in sports medicine and business — and the vision Choate has to rebuild the Bobcats into a Big Sky power were strong selling points.
“They keep saying they are going to be really good this year and that they could use a player like me in the backfield,” White said. “I want to play running back. If I could be a part of something great, I will. They say they are going to have something great for me when I get up there and I want to be a part of that.
“I like the school and I like that it’s cold out there. I want a change and I want to get outside of California. The academic aspect is huge too.”
White ran track for a portion of last spring before stopping so he could concentrate on putting on weight for football. He said he will return to the track team in the spring to “get my speed up to college level”, although it already seems pretty formidable. He said his top time in the 100 last season was 11.4 seconds while he’s been timed as fast as 4.45 in the 40-yard dash.
He’s never been to Montana, a fact that makes him both nervous and excited. He said his parents are happy about his decision even if it means he’ll be attending school in a different time zone. For White personally, getting the decision out of the way before his senior year provides a sense of reprieve as well.
“I feel a relief that I don’t have to think about the other schools,” White said. “Montana State was always on top because of the love they showed. I’m relaxed now, ready to get there, start making plays.”
Photos courtesy of Sherod White. All Rights Reserved.
