Former UK running back Anthony White and I work together on Sunday Morning Sports Talk but his numbers really do show he belongs in UK Athletics Hall of Fame.
Anthony White ran for 1,758 yards and 11 touchdowns from 1997-99 and averaged 4.8 yards per carry. He still ranks 13th on UK’s all-time rushing list. During those same three years with Tim Couch and Dusty Bonner at quarterback, he caught 194 passes for 1,520 yards and eight scores while averaging 7.8 yards per catch. The only UK players with more catches are Craig Yeast (208) and Derek Abney (197).
White is also ninth on UK’s all-time career receiving yardage list with his 1,520 yards and two of those ahead of him — Yeast and Quentin McCord — were his UK teammates in the Air Raid offense. White’s 78 catches in 1998 are the fourth-best mark at UK behind James Whalen (90), Yeast (85) and Randall Cobb (84).
Couch, Yeast, Cobb, and Abney are all in the UK Athletics Hall of Fame. White is not but count UK defensive line coach Anwar Stewart, White’s one-time teammate, and TonyFranklin, White’s position coach at UK, among many who think he should be.
White also is a co-host on WLAP Sunday Morning Sports and John McNece worked several years on Sunday mornings with White.
“I found him to be humble, considerate, a moderator of sorts between personalities on the sports talk show he was co-host of. He was truly surprised when he found that there was a mural of him at the football center/stadium,” McNece said.
“He mentioned once that he never got a game ball. Considering all he had done for the football programs he has been with I thought that a shame. I bought him a football and wrote his accomplishments on it. I honestly think he was genuinely and positively affected by my gift.
“Time and time again Kentucky, Lexington specifically, honors the wrong things, saves the wrong buildings, and doesn’t appreciate what we have. What a nice gesture to add Anthony to the Hall of Fame. He richly deserves it.”
3 Responses
Good job Larry for a great Wildcat. Anthony was one of the most dependable football players ever. He made big play after big play. Great hands, read blocks well, very athletic
and could cut on a dime. He is one of the the most consistently exciting players who did it
in a quite but consistent manner. Couch threw to everyone and Yeast made the eighty yard plays while Anthony "just picked up 10 yards here and 29 yards there" in every game.
I certainly agree with Larry Vaught’s stance that Anthony White belongs in UK Athletics Hall of Fame! Not only does Anthony’s statistics stack up well for the honor, but his continued support for UK on the Sunday morning radio show speaks well of Anthony. Furthermore,
Anthony spoke at Ohio’s UK Convention a few years ago and the fans loved him…let’s get Anthony White in UK’s Athletic Hall of Fame. Thank you, Jim Porter, Franklin, OH
You are a wise man James Porter