Jan. 23, 2010

Update: Blair White had a game-high seven catches for 93 yards in the East-West Shrine Game on Saturday, Jan. 23, including a 12-yard grab on the game-winning drive.

• East-West Shrine Game Stats in PDF Format

EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State fifth-year senior Blair White, who led the Spartans in receptions (70), receiving yards (990) and touchdown catches (9) last season, will participate in the 2010 East-West Shrine Game, scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 23 in Orlando, Fla. White will represent the East Team, lead by former Cleveland Browns head coach Romeo Crennel. ESPN2 will televise the 85th annual East-West Shrine Game from Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium at 3 p.m. EST.

His 70 catches (second), nine TD receptions (fourth) and 990 receiving yards (seventh) rank among the Top 10 single-season totals in Michigan State history. Forty-six of his 70 catches (66 percent) resulted in either a first down or a score, including 15 gains of 20 or more yards. He led the team in receptions in nine of 13 games in 2009.

A first-team All-Big Ten selection by the coaches, White ranked among the conference leaders in TD receptions (tied first), receiving yards (third at 76.2 per game) and receptions (third at 5.4 per game). He also finished among the NCAA leaders in both receiving yards (No. 35) and receptions (tied for No. 40).

The 6-foot-2, 200-pound White had six catches for 114 yards against Texas Tech in the 2010 Valero Alamo Bowl, including an 8-yard TD grab from wide receiver Keshawn Martin in the third quarter. His 114 receiving yards tied the fifth-best bowl-game total in MSU history. He also had a 49-yard reception during the same scoring drive. It marked White's fourth 100-yard receiving game of the season and the sixth of his career.

He caught three passes for 95 yards in MSU's 15-13 loss to No. 7 Iowa, including a 27-yard gain on a hook-and-lateral play late in the fourth quarter and a 25-yard TD grab from Kirk Cousins with 1:37 left that gave the Spartans' a 13-9 lead.

His 12 catches (fourth) and 186 receiving yards (10th) rank among the top single-game totals in Spartan history. In addition, his 186 receiving yards are the highest single-game figure in the Big Ten and the 22nd-best single-game total in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision this season. White scored on TD grabs of 22 and 47 yards from Cousins in the third quarter against the Wildcats.

White led the Spartans with four catches for 50 yards in Michigan State's 24-14 victory at Illinois, including three grabs that resulted in first downs.

He led the team with six receptions for 49 yards in MSU's 26-20 overtime victory over No. 22 Michigan.

White caught six passes for 75 yards and two scores in MSU's 33-30 loss at Notre Dame. He scored on a 30-yard pass from Martin in the second quarter and a 17-yard strike from Cousins in the fourth quarter that gave the Spartans a 30-26 lead.

The Saginaw, Mich., native recorded back-to-back 100-yard receiving games against Montana State (nine catches for 162 yards and two TDs) and Central Michigan (seven for 105). White scored on TD grabs of 15 and 24 yards from Cousins in the season opener against the Bobcats, and almost one-third of his receiving yards (51 of 162) came after the catch.

A former walk-on, White finished his career ranked among MSU's all-time leaders in receptions (12th with 116), TD receptions (15th with 10) and receiving yards (16th with 1,674). He caught at least one pass in 24 consecutive games.

White, who graduated in May 2009 with a 3.89 grade-point average in human biology, was named to the 2009 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America First Team, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). He became MSU's first Academic All-American since center Chris Morris and quarterback Drew Stanton earned second-team honors in 2005 and the program's first first-team selection since safety Steve Wasylk in 1993. White began pursuing a second bachelor's degree in interdisciplinary studies in social science - human resources last fall. He already has been accepted into the University of Detroit Mercy's School of Dentistry.

Following Thursday's practice, msuspartans.com tracked down White for a phone interview.

How did you react when you first received the invitation to participate in the East-West Shrine Game?
"It's really a tribute to my teammates and the coaches because they put me in a position to succeed and perform at a high level. There are a lot of seniors that would love to have this opportunity, so it's truly an honor."

Can you provide us with a practice update and what kind of feedback you have received from the East coaches?
"I have been catching the ball well and running decent routes, but I haven't been real smooth in a couple of drills. Overall, I have received awfully good feedback, especially from my position coach (former Seattle Seahawks assistant) Robert Prince. He's been a huge help."

How important is your performance in Saturday's East-West Shrine Game in terms of improving your NFL Draft status?
"My main focus this week has been performing well in every practice because many of the same scouts will be at Saturday's game. I just want to do the best that I can every time I go out on the practice field.

"I have no idea how many opportunities I might have to catch the football on Saturday because there are so many different factors that I can't control. What will we see from the West defense? How will the score impact play calling? That's why I have focused on performing well in each and every practice session. I also have to make the most of the opportunities that I do get on game day to make plays."

Can you describe your all-star game experience thus far?
"The daily schedule has been pretty intense. Many fans have the wrong impression about all-star games. They think that we have a lot of time to chill and relax, and that's simply not the case. It's a job interview.

"My approach has been pretty simple. I've been focused on going my hardest every day in practice while trying to put my best foot forward in everything that I've been asked to do."

After a break-out junior year (43 catches for 659 yards and a touchdown), how important was it to come back in 2009 and post career highs across the board, in receptions (70), receiving yards (990) and touchdowns (9)?
"Consistency is important in anything that you do. As a player, you're going to experience highs and lows, but I've prided myself in becoming someone my teammates and coaches could rely on to make plays. It definitely was important for me to come back as a senior and improve my productivity despite receiving more attention from opposing defenses. I sure didn't want to be known as a one hit wonder. I simply concentrated on doing the things that I knew I could do when called upon."

What strides have you made over the last two seasons?
"The key thing has been developing the confidence to consistently play at a high level. Each year, I tried to upgrade my skill level and improve my techniques, so I could put myself in a position to succeed.

"Before the ball was snapped, I believed that I could beat the defender lined up across the line of scrimmage from me. That's the biggest difference in my game the last two years. I had confidence in myself, and I had the confidence to make plays when my team needed them."