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White has ‘great thing going’ as he faces OSU’s 116th-ranked pass defense

West Virginia receiver Kevin White (11) makes a one-handed catch for a touchdown despite interference from Baylor’s Xavien Howard.

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The photo of Kevin White’s one-handed touchdown catch against Baylor, a framable moment in a season so far filled with them, likely will hang in the receiver’s house years down the road.

“Yeah, one day,” White said.

Right now, however, with this spectacular year still unfolding, White knows there are more touchdowns out there. His seven consecutive games with 100-plus receiving yards is the best stretch ever for a West Virginia player and puts him on pace for the sixth-best yardage total in NCAA history.

The self-doubting, meandering receiver of last season has evolved into a take-charge, beat-whatever-coverage-you-throw-at-him game changer.

“It’s not cockiness. We just know what we can do,” White said. “We have a great thing going on here.”

White forced Alabama to switch cornerbacks (nine catches 143) and made Oklahoma’s Zack Sanchez look slow (10 for 173). He torched Texas Tech’s cover-2 (13 for 123) and mauled Maryland (13 for 216).

Last week’s performance against Baylor showed White feasting on single coverage: He made eight receptions for 132 yards and drew six pass-interference penalties, one of which was declined on the camera-ready touchdown.

Having coached six receivers into the NFL, West Virginia assistant Lonnie Galloway has worked with special talents. He has never seen one assemble such a consistent string of hyper-productive games against so many varied defenses.

“Not seven in a row,” Galloway said. “Hopefully it will be 12.”

At 6-foot-3, White has become so adept at high-pointing passes that Clint Trickett considers each jumpball a favorable  situation. And even larger cornerbacks, such as Baylor’s 6-2 Xavien Howard, couldn’t curb the onslaught.

Howard was flagged four times for interfering with White and flirted with a fifth by bumping White off his route on a first-quarter interception. Given White’s typically impeccable balance and ability to overpower corners, the coaching staff essentially put that interception on White, not the late throw by Trickett.

“You’re going to get grabbed, but if they don’t throw a flag what are you going to do?” Galloway said. “That’s the stuff Kevin needs to play through.”

What might Oklahoma State have in store Saturday, consider its pass defense ranks last in the Big 12 and 111th nationally?

White joked this week that the Cowboys should “go man and we’ll just play.” It likely won’t be so simple, even though cornerback Kevin Peterson is considered an NFL talent and opposite-side starter Ashton Lampkin (ankle) is expected back after missing three games.

“Clint’s got a lot of confidence in us,” White said. “When he gives me a chance I don’t want to let him down. We’re just going to try to win the game and put on a great show as well.”







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