The 30 best college football quarterbacks of the 21st century

• 2X Big East Offensive Player of the Year (2006, 2007)
• 3X First-Team All-Big East (2006-08)

When Pat White signed to play for the West Virginia Mountaineers, it was so he could play quarterback. LSU wanted him to come to Baton Rouge to play wide receiver, but the two-sport high school star athlete valued staying at the helm of an offense. Thus, he headed to Morgantown and made the right decision.

Despite starting his freshman year splitting the starting duties with Adam Bednarik (White eventually took over due to a Bednarik injury), White still showed off his talent as he threw for 828 yards and eight touchdowns in addition to rushing for 925 yards and seven additional scores.

White’s breakout season as a runner came as a sophomore in 2006 as he firmly took hold of the starting job. The quarterback rushed for 1,219 yards and 18 touchdowns during his second campaign while also throwing for 1,655 yards and 13 touchdowns with only seven picks.

The junior season with the Mountaineers again proved to be productive for White as he threw for 1,724 yards, 14 scores and just four interceptions while rushing for 1,335 yards and 14 more touchdowns. His rushing dipped as a senior to just 974 yards and eight touchdowns, but White had his best passing season with 1,842 yards, 21 scores and seven interceptions.

During White’s time at the helm of the West Virginia offense, the Mountaineers were wildly successful with a combined 42-9 record and four-straight bowl wins (including one Sugar Bowl and one Fiesta Bowl). With that leadership and White’s dynamic dual-threat production, he earned a place on this list.