Ex-West Virginia QB Pat White set to join Rich Rodriguez’s staff as Mountaineers reunite glory day pillars

Legendary West Virginia quarterback Pat White is returning to WVU as the assistant quarterbacks coach/assistant to the head coach under Rich Rodriguez, the program announced Wednesday. White played for Rodriguez from 2005-07 during a legendary three-year run for the Mountaineers and was most recently an offensive assistant for the Los Angeles Chargers in 2022 and 2023.

“It’s really special to welcome Pat White back to Morgantown as a member of our football coaching staff,” Rodriguez said in West Virginia’s announcement of the hire. “He has been involved in some of the biggest wins in program history, and he will be a great presence in our quarterback room. Pat and I have been through so much together, and I am really proud of the quality of coach and mentor to young players that he has become.”

White is the program’s No. 2 all-time rusher with 4,480 yards and ranks second in career rushing touchdowns with 47. He is also No. 5 in program history in passing touchdowns with 56. White and Rodriguez worked together to help lead the Mountaineers to a 33-5 record with victories in the Sugar Bowl, Gator Bowl and Fiesta Bowl before Rodriguez left to be the head coach at Michigan.

White finished out his career at West Virginia in 2008 under coach Bill Stewart before bouncing in and out of the NFL between 2009-13. He entered coaching at Alcorn State in 2018 and made stops at South Florida and Alabama State before latching on with the Chargers in 2022.

West Virginia hired Rodriguez from Jacksonville State in May to replace Neal Brown. He previously coached the Mountaineers from 2001-07, winning three Big East titles with his patented spread-option offense. The run-first attack terrorized opponents, and White was the face of its best moments. White went 7-2 against ranked opponents as a starting quarterback under Rodriguez.