Ceremony and tribute in white
The West Virginia Football Program retired Pat White’s No. 5 jersey before the season opener against Coastal Carolina on Saturday, making him the seventh Mountaineers player to receive the honor.
The program staged the tribute as an all-white affair: the team wore its white uniforms and fans were asked to don white in tribute to White’s time in Morgantown.
The West Virginia athletics department noted during the ceremony that White was the first college quarterback to both start and win four bowl games, a distinction that underlines the occasion’s historic weight for the program.
On-field legacy that defined an era
Pat White’s résumé at West Virginia is defined by sustained success and signature moments. He finished his career with a 35-8 record as a starter and led the Mountaineers to four consecutive bowl victories from 2005–08, including the Sugar Bowl win over Georgia and the Fiesta Bowl win over Oklahoma.
One of the most remembered games came in the Gator Bowl, when White engineered a comeback against Georgia Tech after the Mountaineers trailed 35-17 in the fourth quarter. He also started and won the Meineke Bowl against North Carolina during that run.
Statistically, White left West Virginia with an impressive body of work. At the time his career ended he held Big East records for touchdowns responsible for (103) and total offense (10,529). He threw for 6,049 yards and rushed for 4,480 yards, a total that ranks third all-time among college quarterbacks behind Keenan Reynolds (4,559) and Denard Robinson (4,495).
White was also formidable against nationally ranked opponents, compiling a 7-2 record versus Top 25 teams during his tenure.
The on-field reputation he built still resonates with those who played against him. NBC Sports quoted former NFL defensive back Devin McCourty — who faced White three times while at Rutgers — calling him “unstoppable.”
Retiring No. 5 formally cements White’s place in West Virginia Football Program history. The program had previously retired No. 9 for Major Harris in 2021, and this latest ceremony joins White with a small group of Mountaineers whose numbers are permanently honored in Morgantown.
