By Robert Wilson
Madison-Ridgeland Academy senior quarterback and Southern Miss commit John White has a shot of becoming Mississippi’s career leader in passing yards this season.
The 6-foot, 204-pound White got off to a good start in his 2023 debut as he completed 18 of 27 passes for 303 yards and three touchdowns and led MRA to a 48-25 victory over Parklane Academy Thursday night in McComb.
For his outstanding performance, White has been named the Junction Deli/Mississippi Scoreboard Metro Jackson Football Player of the Week.
White – who is on the PriorityOne Bank/Mississippi Scoreboard Metro Jackson Preseason Elite 11 Team for the second straight year – moved into fifth place after Thursday’s performance among the Mississippi career passing yards leader and now has 11,819 career passing yards, a MAIS record, including 7,419 at MRA (sophomore through senior years) and 4,400 yards at Winona Christian (eighth grade and freshman years).
Myles Brennan is the Mississippi record holder with 15,138 career yards at St. Stanislaus from 2013-16. White is behind Brennan, Ty Keyes from Taylorsville (14,525 from 2017-2020), Dylan Favre from St. Stanislaus (12,559 from 2007-2009) and Jack Abraham from Oxford (12,027 from 2012-2015). White passed Keon Howard from Laurel (11,532 from 2012-2015) Thursday night.
MRA has nine more regular season games and possibly two or three more in the playoffs. If MRA finished first or second and received a first-round bye in the playoff and then played in the semifinals and finals, White would have to average 301.7 yards per game to surpass Brennan and average more if MRA played less games.
White started this season without his head coach, Herbert Davis, who had been hospitalized with an infection and wasn’t able to coach in the season opener. Associate head coach and defensive coordinator Danny White (no relation to John) replaced Davis for the opener. Offensive line coach Kenny Williams and special teams coach John Weaver called the offensive plays in place of Davis, who doubles as offensive coordinator.
“John did a great job taking what the defense gave him,” Danny White said. “In crucial situations, John was excellent throwing darts to wide receivers and getting the first down and moving the chains. We talked the week before about playing pitch and catch and that’s what he did.”
White completed TD passes to sophomore Case Thomas for 36 and 9 yards and sophomore Jack Polles for 38 yards.
Whitecompleted 58 percent of his passes for 3,175 yards (highest in MAIS and fifth highest in Mississippi) and 28 TDs with eight interceptions and led MRA to a 10-4 record and a 6A state runner-up finish last season as a junior. He completed 67.9 percent of his passes for 3,935 yards and 39 TDs and 14 interceptions and helped MRA to an 11-3 record and its third straight 6A state title as a sophomore two years ago. He was one of three sophomores to make the All-Metro Jackson team first team two years ago.
In addition to Southern Miss, White has Division I offers from Syracuse, West Virginia, Cincinnati, Tulane, Arkansas State, Old Dominion, Liberty, Florida Atlantic, Toledo, and Alabama A&M. He is rated as the No. 3 quarterback in Mississippi, No. 84 quarterback in the country and No. 34 player in Mississippi in the Class of 2024 by the 247 composite rankings.
MRA – which has won 50 of its last 53 games against MAIS competition – plays Class 5A Magnolia Heights Friday at home in Madison.
Mississippi Scoreboard selects a football player from Hinds, Madison, or Rankin counties each week. Coaches can nominate a player by text or call to Robert Wilson at 601.506.2276.
