One of the biggest questions that Arizona State’s offense will have to answer is how successfully it can replace former running back Eno Benjamin. A workhorse at the position, he finished among the top-10 players in ASU’s history in rushing attempts (576) and rushing yards (2,867) in just two seasons as a full-time starter and three total with the program.
In their last recruiting cycle, the Sun Devils looked to stabilize that production by signing freshmen running backs Daniyel Ngata and DeaMonte Trayanum, each of whom was rated as four-star prospects by the 247Sports Composite and participated during their seven spring practices. But in the time since their spring sessions were cut short and their season was twice delayed due to the pandemic, the Sun Devils added another member to their running back room who coaches believe can help make up for the loss of Benjamin’s heavy lifting: junior transfer Rachaad White.
White, who was rated as the No. 3 running back recruit and No. 56 prospect nationally in the junior college ranks, spent last season at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, California, where ASU co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Antonio Pierce previously played before he transferred to Arizona for his final two collegiate seasons. As a redshirt sophomore, White rushed for 1,264 yards and 10 touchdowns in 11 games and totaled the second-best rushing average in the state with 114.9 rushing yards per game, according to the California Community College Athletic Association.
White initially committed to UCLA on Oct. 13, 2019, before he re-opened his recruitment on Feb. 1. ASU extended White a scholarship offer on May 16 and he pledged to the program just five days later, which he attributed to his trust in its coaching staff.
“I feel like things shaped for me just the way God planned it,” White said. “I’m a spiritual guy, that’s how I was raised. Initially, me coming here was kind of a surprise. They told me what it was, the coaching staff, we all know the background of what they provide for us, bring to the table. I knew that [the ASU coaching staff] could take my game to another level and help me understand the game mentally.”
Even though he enrolled in the program on Aug. 26, White has quickly assimilated to the competition in his room and ASU’s transition to a new offensive scheme under first-year coordinator Zak Hill. He was listed as the first-team running back during the Sun Devils’ first preseason practice on Oct. 9 and rotated in with the starting unit on Oct. 10, in which he made good impressions on his teammates.
“Rachaad, he’s smooth,” said ASU sophomore quarterback Jayden Daniels. “Like, everything comes to him natural. He’s just a natural football player, [junior college] guy so you know he’s coming in here hungry. He’s just a smooth, natural player. He’s going to be a good one for us.”
Added Ngata: “Rachaad, he can do everything and he’s an older guy so that’s like a really big benefit in the running back room, having an older guy. He can teach us stuff we don’t know and we can tell him stuff that he doesn’t know. It’s all help around.”
At a listed 6-foot-2 and 195 pounds, White was described as a “natural, fluid runner” who is “great out in space” by Sun Devil position coach Shaun Aguano. Sun Devil Source publisher Chris Karpman likened White’s game to that of former ASU running back Marion Grice as a “graceful, statuesque back who slaloms his way through inside runs, corners smoothly on the edge, has a surprising gear to separate and is a relatively diverse route threat working out of the backfield.”
White’s style is viewed as distinct compared to that of Ngata, who ASU head coach Herm Edwards liked to Benjamin as an elusive player, and Trayanum, who is more of a physical, downhill runner, by his coaches. Aguano indicated that versatility will bode favorably for ASU’s stylistic preferences against opponents in future games.
"From Ngata being that elusive scat-back type kid to [Trayanum] being that downhill, tough runner to that kid of smooth slicer [running style] that Rachaad is, it's a good compliment with all three together," he said.
Following his team’s second preseason practice on Saturday, White said he has focused on leading by example and bringing “camaraderie” to his running back room, even though they are competing for game reps. He also called Hill’s offense “special” and a good fit for ASU's personnel.
Moving forward, White said he wants to continue to focus on maximizing each of his reps and making the most of his opportunities in front of him.
“Me personally, to me it don’t matter," White said. "I’ll run with the ‘ones,’ ‘twos,’ and be the same guy. I feel like I can help the team win in that aspect. I just want to don’t take no rep for granted, no individual drills for granted. Like I said, I’m just very thankful and blessed to be here. And that’s how I go about every day, just finish a rep, finish it. And just play ball, do what I do, have fun.”
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October 15, 2020 at 09:50AM
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'He's smooth': White adds versatility to RB competition - 247Sports
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