Football

June 5, 2010

EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State fifth-year senior wide receiver Blair White has been named to the National Football Foundation's 2010 Hampshire Honor Society, which is comprised of college players from all divisions (NCAA and NAIA) who maintain a 3.2 grade-point average or better. White becomes just the fourth Spartan to qualify for membership in the NFF Hampshire Honor Society, joining snapper Brian Bury, punter Brandon Fields and quarterback Drew Stanton who earned recognition in the inaugural class in 2007.

A total of 620 players from 246 schools qualified for membership in the Hampshire Honor Society's fourth class. Qualifications for membership in the NFF Hampshire Honor Society include: being a starter or a significant substitute in one's last year of eligibility at an accredited NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision, Football Championship Subdivision, Division II, Division III, or an NAIA college or university; achieving a 3.2 cumulative grade-point average throughout the entire course of undergraduate study; and meeting all NCAA-mandated progress towards degree requirements.

"The NFF's mission is to build leaders through football, and this year's Hampshire Honor Society members are living proof of that charge," NFF Chairman Archie Manning said. "Each of these young men has showcased a strong desire to succeed on and off the football field, and we are certainly proud to honor them for their accomplishments as the next generation of our nation's leaders."

"Blair White is certainly deserving of this special recognition by the National Football Foundation because he represents the ideal scholar-athlete," MSU head coach Mark Dantonio said. "Blair did everything that he was asked to do here as a student-athlete: in the classroom, on the field and in the community. He had always achieved at a high level in the academic arena, and as a senior, he elevated his game and competed at an All-Big Ten level."

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

The 6-foot-2, 200-pound White led the Spartans in receptions (70), receiving yards (990) and touchdown catches (9) in 2009. 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).

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.

The Saginaw, Mich., native set career highs for receptions (12) and receiving yards (186) and matched his career-best with two touchdown receptions in the Spartans' 24-14 Homecoming victory over Northwestern. In addition to his selection as Big Ten Co-Offensive Player of the Week, White was named National Wide Receiver of the Week (shared honor with Bowling Green's Freddie Barnes) by the College Football Performance Awards.

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 were the highest single-game figure in the Big Ten and the 22nd-best single-game total in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision in 2009. White scored on TD grabs of 22 and 47 yards from Kirk Cousins in the third quarter against the Wildcats.

He 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.

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