There was little West Virginia quarterback Pat White and running back Steve Slaton couldn’t accomplish when paired up in the backfield for three seasons from 2005 to 2007.
History has been kind to the duo, and 247Sports recently named White and Slaton as the No. 3 playmaking duo in the history of college football — USC quarterback Matt Leinart and running back Reggie Bush took the top spot with Florida quarterback Tim Tebow and athlete Percy Harvin at No. 2.
From 247Sports: “Perhaps the most underrated backfield in college football history, Pat White and Steve Slaton humiliated opposing defenses three consecutive years together at West Virginia. Slaton finished fourth in Heisman voting as a sophomore in 2006 with 1,744 yards rushing and 16 scores. He compiled 50 rushing touchdowns over his three-year tenure in Morgantown. White was equally nightmarish on the ground, earning a pair of top-10 Heisman finishes in 2007 and 2008. He scored 40 times on the ground over his final three seasons, including a 1,219 yard-effort in 2006 as a sophomore and 1,335 more yards in 2007. That Mountaineers ground attack in 2006 is one of the most prolific ever.”
For all their college success, neither player had a lengthy NFL career. Slaton was a third-round pick by the Houston Texans and played four seasons for two teams. White was a second-round pick by the Miami Dolphins but only played two seasons.
WVU Running back Steve Slaton, a unanimous First Team All-American in 2006 and former Sugar Bowl MVP, is on the 2025 College Football Hall of Fame ballot.
Steve Slaton 2005-2007
Att 664 | 3923 Yds | Avg 5.9 | 50 Tds pic.twitter.com/sxdAtagqwq— Football Dude (@Football_Dude84) June 3, 2024
