In a running back room full of talent, West Virginia's three-star freshman Jahiem White made a name for himself on Saturday, and the coaching staff has come to appreciate the skillset the young runner can bring.

White hails from York, Pennsylvania and was an all-state, school rushing record holder, among other accolades in high school, but now the fourth tailback option for the Mountaineers got his shot and delivered.

Since White is a freshman, he does have some ground to make up because he's sitting behind leading rushers CJ Donaldson and Jaylen Anderson, along with Justin Johnson Jr. in the depth chart. The special quality that White holds over his counterparts though, is top-end speed and it's been a highlight of his since he arrived on campus.

"He ran around the defense when he first got here too. Early in fall camp, the same plays he was having success on Saturday, he struggled with in fall camp. You're just outrunning everybody right now, you aren’t reading that right. It was good to see him be disciplined and capitalize on what he needed to do," Scott said.

Now after getting his shot at the next level, White ran for 110 yards and a touchdown on only 12 carries against Duquesne and flashed his elite speed on a few runs, including a 39-yard gain. With this breakout, offensive coordinator Chad Scott knows the potential that White holds and how his speed can kill.

"They'll [other running backs] be first to tell you he's the fastest in the room. He's going to be a special player. He's gifted with the ball in his hand, he's tough, he's physical. He understands when to put his foot in the ground and get some tough yards," Scott said.

These were the first carries of the season for White, but hopefully not the last, with his elite level speed on the ground. According to PFF, he finished as the highest graded running back in WVU's last game, with a 77.2 rating and 39 yards after contact, an impressive feat for a player who only stands at 5-foot-7.

White is a player that isn't just forced into the backfield as a runner and that's what makes him so unique and exciting for West Virginia.

He has potential to play in multiple roles, in spots such as a slot receiver and as a pass catcher out of the backfield, much like you see in a modern football halfback. Head coach Neal Brown was impressed with White's body of work in his debut and expects his role to increase as the season progresses.

"Jahiem was productive and we expected that. His role is going to continue to grow," Brown said.

White's role for the rest of the season is still up in the air, but his performance on Saturday in undeniable. Regardless of the snaps he see's this season, the future is extremely bright for West Virginia's backfield.

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