Weber State University Athletics
Lee White on 2017 College Hall of Fame ballot
6/1/2016 10:00:00 PM | Football
Former Weber State football All-American Lee White is on the ballot for induction into the College Football Hall of Fame. The National Football Foundation (NFF) announced the 2017 ballot Wednesday which includes 75 players and six coaches from the Football Bowl Subdivision and 95 players and 29 coaches from the divisional ranks.
White played three years of football at Weber State from 1965-67, playing for coach Sark Arslanian. White still ranks third in Weber State history in career rushing yards with 3,062 and had 34 career touchdowns. As a senior in 1967 he rushed for 1,378, fifth most in WSU history, and earned First Team All-American honors.
A native of Las Vegas, White played three seasons for the Wildcats from 1965-67. His head coach Sark Arslanian said White "put Weber State on the map". He twice earned Big Sky All-Conference honors and as a senior in 1967, earned First Team All-American honors. He finished his career as Weber State's career rushing leader and today ranks third in school history. He rushed for 3,062 yards and had 34 rushing touchdowns in his career with the Wildcats. As a senior in 1967, he led the Big Sky in rushing with 1,378 yards and nine touchdowns, which stood as the most rushing yards in a season in Weber State history for more than 30 years. He rushed for a career-high 276 yards against Idaho in 1967, now the third most yards in a game in Weber State history.
He was a member of the first class inducted into the Weber State Athletics Hall of Fame in 1989. He was also named to the Big Sky Conference Silver Anniversary Team in 1988.
White was drafted in the first round (17th overall) of the 1968 NFL Draft by the New York Jets. He is the only Weber State player to ever be drafted in the first round of the NFL Draft and is one of just four players in the history of the Big Sky Conference selected in the first round.
He went on to play five years in the NFL. As a rookie he was part of the 1968 Jets team that won Super Bowl III led by Joe Namath. He spent three seasons with the Jets, playing in 29 games and rushing for 303 yards. He also played with the Los Angeles Rams and the San Diego Chargers, appearing in 44 career games in the NFL.
White is one of six players from the Big Sky Conference on this year's ballot. He was also included on the 2016 ballot.
The announcement of the 2017 Class will be made Friday, Jan. 6, 2017, in Tampa, Fla. The city is serving as the host for the CFP National Championship, which will be played Jan. 9 at Raymond James Stadium.
The 2017 class will be inducted at the 60th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Dec. 5, 2017, at the landmark Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City. The inductees will be permanently enshrined at the new College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta later that December and honored on the field during the 13th Annual National Hall of Fame Salute during the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.
