LOGAN, Utah – With six years of professional playing experience under his belt, Mitchell White has a teaching philosophy that should empower his players to make the right decisions, on and off the field.
White comes to Utah State after spending the 2022 season as the cornerbacks coach at Stephen F. Austin, where he helped the Lumberjacks win the Western Athletic Conference Championship. White was part of an SFA defense that ranked among the best at the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) level last season, forcing 19 turnovers with 11 interceptions and eight fumbles, and a pair of defensive touchdowns.
Before joining Stephen F. Austin, White coached at Notre Dame College (2021), University of Mary (2020), the University of Findlay (2019) and the Montreal Alouettes (2018).
As the pass defense coordinator and secondary coach at Notre Dame College in 2021, White helped the Falcons lead the nation in interceptions and turnovers gained as NDC's pass defense improved by over 80 yards per game. And, as the cornerbacks coach at the University of Findlay, he helped the Oilers rank in the top 25 nationally in turnovers gained.
White was a four-year letterwinner (2009-12) at Michigan State, as he appeared in 43 career games and helped the Spartans win the 2010 Big Ten Championship. He also competed in track & field at MSU.
Following his collegiate career, White spent six years in professional football, including in the NFL with the Oakland Raiders (2013) and Philadelphia Eagles (2017). White also played four years in the Canadian Football League and won back-to-back Grey Cups with the Ottawa Redblacks (2016) and Toronto Argonauts (2017). During the 2016 campaign, he was named a CFL East All-Star.
We recently caught up with White for a Q&A.
Q: What has your transition to Utah State been like and how have the first few months on the job been?
White: The transition was quick to be honest with you. I accepted the position and then within two days got out here and started trying to get to work as fast as possible. What I've really enjoyed is learning the area. It's beautiful out here and the community is very nice and welcoming. I've also enjoyed getting to know these kids, how smart they are as football players and how receptive they are. They want to get better. They're diving in, coming in extra, meeting and going to different positions, so those guys are giving us a real opportunity to develop them and to trust us. It's been impressive.
Q: Why was Utah State the right fit for you?
White: One, I think it's a credit to Utah State. It's a brand that I'm familiar with. My brother played at Louisiana Tech when they were in the WAC and those were some good games. If I remember correctly, one year Louisiana Tech won it and then the following year Utah State won the conference. I remember Robert Turbin, Bobby Wagner and Chuckie Keeton from those teams. Also, having the opportunity to work for a guy that I'd already worked for in Joe Cauthen, I knew what I was going to get. I knew the defense and I'd already coached it. So, in terms of teaching it the correct way, that was the draw. There were some good opportunities, but I really felt in my heart, just talking to my wife and praying about it, this is the next step in our process.
Q: What have you seen from the defensive backs thus far this spring?
White: One thing that I like is they're competitive and you have to be that as a defensive back. We have guys who are taller and longer, who have played different positions, and we have guys that are very quick. They do a lot of good things and there's some leadership qualities there. Off the field, those guys are great. The biggest thing we're trying to get to right now is teaching them the professional aspect of improving yourself outside of the building and that's something young players have to learn how to do, and it starts with consistency off the field. These guys already have that. They're very good and well-mannered kids. I've been very impressed with all those guys. They are good, honest young men, that are competitive.
Q: What has the secondary been working on during spring ball?
White: Different positions are working on different things, Overall, we are learning how to see and identify things before they snap the football. How do we see the formation and then what information are they giving us? If a guy is lined up tight, why is he tight? So, just working on formation recognition and communication. In the corner room, we are learning how to play the style that we play. We like to play on the edge and we want to compete at the line of scrimmage. Then, how do we play that and what routes are we going to expect to see? And, at the safety position, we are working on how we fit, where do we need to be, and how do we drop to the middle of the field with good efficiency. So, cleaning all those small things up that makes them more complete players.
Q: Can you talk about the defense and the style of play fans will see this fall?
White: For us as a defense, we pride ourselves on being multiple. We don't want teams knowing what we're going to do. We like playing different type of coverages and fronts. We like being able to move guys around from position to position. Having that flexibility and that versatility, really plays to our advantage, we believe. From a coverage standpoint, we want to be as aggressive as possible, whether that is zone, man or a match-up coverage, we want to compete. We're not going to give you anything, we want you to earn it.
Q: What should the fans expect to see from your secondary this fall?
White: They should expect to see a group that's going to play fast and with a lot of energy and have fun, and then, be very opportunistic. We want to get the ball back to our offense. Usually, when you're having fun on defense, you're playing pretty good. That's what I hope we're seeing come fall.
Q: What do you like to do when you're not coaching football?
White: My wife and I have four kids, so watching them and being a part of their process growing up is where I spend my time. It's amazing being a dad. I feel very fortunate and blessed to be a dad, so I spend a lot of time with them trying to just be a figure for them to where they can trust somebody, learn how to be vulnerable, learn how to love, learn how to get all the quality things of a child-parent relationship. Football is a big investment with your time, so I try as best I can when there's an opportunity, to be with the family. I'm also trying to get into gardening. We have a nice backyard and there's a little garden that I want to develop. That is something where I can get my mind off of football.
