(Photo: Nicholas Badders/WCSN)
This time last year, Arizona State quarterback Brady White was in the heat of a tight quarterback battle. The redshirt freshman was impressive during last fall’s preseason, but couldn’t overtake a more veteran candidate in sophomore Manny Wilkins.
This year, White has had to fight a different battle, trying to get healthy after suffering a rare Lisfranc fracture in his foot in his only start last season.
While his still-recovering foot is preventing the now-redshirt-sophomore from competing in this camp’s battle under center, White is keeping himself sharp for a return to health. His goal of being the No. 1 quarterback on the depth chart is still far from over.
“I’m confident in the future and what I can do, I have no doubts that I’m a top quarterback,” White said earlier this month. “I’m just waiting for the opportunity to get to show that.”
The fragile foot injury had been keeping White sidelined for everything but non-contact drills this preseason. On Wednesday however, the just-turned 21-year-old was given a late birthday gift from his head coach, who let White run plays with the first-team during normal 11-on-11 scrimmages.
The chance was less a sign of an impending return to health—White says he still has a long way to go before he will be game ready—but more an opportunity to remind those around the program that he is still a key part in helping the team rebound from some down years.
“We’ve got not only Manny (Wilkins) and Blake (Barnett), but Brady White is very much a leader in his own right,” offensive coordinator Billy Napier said of his quarterbacks earlier this camp.
For White, being a leader for his teammates has become just as important as keeping himself ready for his comeback.
“I think I’m in a position now where I can really speak out and guys are going to listen,” White said. “I think I had my teammates respect in previous years, but I’ve really tried to teach younger guys, whether it be quarterbacks or receivers, and just help them with the offense, help them with life.
“We are all here to work together and go pursue a championship and win games and I want to make sure our guys are in the best position to do that.”
In two games last year, White began showing why he was such a highly-regarded high school recruit. He threw a touchdown in his career debut at USC, and then helped ASU reach a 5-1 record in his first ever start, and win, against UCLA; it was also the night the he suffered his season-ending injury.
No injury is ever a positive, but because White’s foot is the only neutralized part of his body, he has used his rehab time to develop his arm, work that he showed off with impressive performances at Camp Tontozona before his first-team moment Wednesday.
“Throwing-wise, I feel good. As I was recovering, you just throw because you’ve got to get your arm reps,” White said. “Obviously, my lower body needs a lot more reps to go, strengthening, and just getting back to what you used to do.”
The time on the sideline has also helped White quickly pick up a new offensive playbook. Without going through many real reps, he has tried out new ways to learn the new systems, providing him a unique view of the offensive philosophies Napier brings to the school.
“Coach Napier did a really good job with me while I was injured in the spring, making sure that I was on the field,” he said. “Even though I’m not doing anything, I’m behind seeing it, getting the signals and just taking as many mental reps as I can.”
The Newhall, California native’s immediate future remains in doubt, but his long term prospects as a quarterback continue to look strong. Even with two other QBs technically above him on the depth chart now, the insights White has gained over the last injury-riddled year have him positioned to grow as a quality player, and someone whose career in Tempe continues to look bright.
