Brian White has been named Florida’s new tight ends coach, head football coach Urban Meyer and the university announced Wednesday. White, who brings a wealth of experience coaching offensive football and special teams, replaces John Hevesy, who will join the staff of former Florida offensive coordinator Dan Mullen at Mississippi State.
has been named the University of Florida’s tight ends’ coach, head coach Urban Meyer announced on Wednesday. A 23-year coaching veteran and former winner of the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Division I Assistant Coach of the Year, White has tutored a Heisman Trophy Winner, coached in 12 bowl games and served on coaching staffs that have won a national title and two league championships.
A veteran of 23 years of coaching, the former two-year starting quarterback at Harvard who has Master’s degrees from Fordham and Notre Dame, comes to Florida after spending last season coordinating the special teams and coaching the tight ends at the University of Washington.
“Brian is a long-time friend and will be a great addition to our coaching staff,” Meyer said in a release from the Florida sports information office. “He will play a key role in our offensive game plan and our special teams’ preparation. He is a relentless recruiter and has an understanding of our program’s philosophy. He is very cerebral and will make a smooth transition into our program.”
During White’s 11-year tenure at Wisconsin, he mentored 1999 Heisman Trophy winner Ron Dayne, 2001 NFL first-round draft choice Michael Bennett, 2001 Big Ten Freshman of the Year Anthony Davis and 2006 Capital One Bowl Most Valuable Player Brian Calhoun. In 2004, White was named the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Division I Assistant Coach of the Year.
“I’ve known coach Meyer for many years and I’ve always hoped some day we would have a chance to work together,” White said in the release. “It is a tremendous honor and privilege to join the Gator coaching staff and be a part of a special university and athletic department. I look forward to working with a great group of student-athletes.”
White coached in the 2006 Capital One Bowl, which Wisconsin captured with a 24-10 win over No. 7 Auburn. He served as the running backs’ coach during the Badgers’ 1998 Big Ten championship season and was the offensive coordinator the next year when UW repeated as Big Ten champions. Both the 1998 and ‘99 seasons ended with trips to the Rose Bowl.
In his first year as offensive coordinator in 1999, the Badgers set a school record and finished 10th nationally in scoring. The next season, Bennett was the third-leading rusher in Division I-A and had a school-record six 200-yard passing games. In 2001, quarterbacks Brooks Bollinger and Jim Sorgi each threw for more than 1,000 yards, while Davis was fifth in the nation in rushing and wide receiver Lee Evans set the Big Ten record for receiving yards in a season. During each of his first eight years, White helped the Badgers produce a 1,000-yard rusher.
Prior to his appointment at Wisconsin, White worked at UNLV from 1990-92 and again in 1994. He worked as the Rebels’ quarterbacks coach from 1990-92, with additional responsibilities as the wide receivers coach in 1991. In 1992, White was UNLV’s running backs and kicking coach. When he rejoined the UNLV staff for the 1994 season, he was the passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach for the nation’s 14th-best passing offense (265 yards per game).
White spent the 1993 season as the passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach at the University of Nevada-Reno. The Wolf Pack led the nation in total offense (582.7 yards per game) and passing offense (401 yards per game) that year. White began his coaching career in 1986 as a graduate assistant at Fordham in 1986 and 1987, followed by a two-year appointment at Notre Dame as a graduate assistant in 1988, when the Fighting Irish won their last national championship, and 1989. He spent the 2006-07 seasons at offensive coordinator and tight ends coach at Syracuse.
GETTING TO KNOW … BRIAN WHITE
Florida tight ends coach
Birthdate: July 2, 1964 (44). Hometown: Haverhill, Mass. Family: Wife, Salli. Children: Cassidy (daughter) and Jackson (son). Education: Bachelor’s degree in History from Harvard University (where he was a two-year starting quarterback for the Crimson), 1986; Master’s Degree in Communications from Fordham University, 1987; Master’s Degree in Business Administration (Finance) from the University of Notre Dame, 1990.
Coaching experience: Fordham (graduate assistant) 1986-87; Notre Dame (graduate assistant) 1988-89; UNLV (quarterbacks) 1990; UNLV (running backs) 1991-92; Nevada-Reno (wide receivers) 1993; UNLV (passing game coordinator/wide receivers) 1994; Wisconsin (running backs) 1995-98; Wisconsin (offensive coordinator/running backs) 1999-2005; Syracuse (offensive coordinator/tight ends) 2006-07; Washington (special teams coordinator/tight ends) 2008.
Bowls: Fiesta Bowl, 1989; Orange Bowl, 1990; Las Vegas Bowl, 1994; Copper Bowl, 1996; Outback Bowl, 1998; Rose Bowl, 1999-2000; Sun Bowl, 2000; Alamo Bowl, 2002; Music City Bowl, 2003; Outback Bowl, 2005; Capital One Bowl, 2006.