Published: Sunday, May 2, 2010
White worth the risk to Seahawks
Running back with baggage might find home in Seattle
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Jennifer Buchanan / The Herald
Running back LenDale White, who was acquired from the Tennessee Titans, is reunited in Seattle with Pete Carroll, his former coach at USC.
RENTON — Consider this a match made in reclamation heaven.
LenDale White, whose career in Tennessee fizzled out, is trying to reclaim his place as a productive running back in the NFL, while the Seahawks are simply trying to reclaim a running game.
And call me crazy, but this just might work.
White comes to Seattle with baggage. Plenty of it. He has struggled with his weight at times, he claimed to have lost 30 pounds by simply cutting out heavy tequila drinking a year ago, and he reportedly missed meetings when his playing time declined last season with the Titans. But White is just 25, comes to Seattle at little risk to the team, and if the big running back is going to turn his career around, this just might be the place for it to happen.
Through two days of a three-day minicamp, White looks and sounds like a player genuinely happy for a new life in Seattle. During an interview that lasted about five minutes Friday, White used the word excited at least nine times, and couldn’t stop smiling at the thought of being reunited with his college coach, Pete Carroll.
“It’s unbelievable, my prayers are answered,” he said. “I just wanted to get a new start, a fresh situation. Coach Carroll called me, it was unbelievable, man. I feel like it’s home, because I played for coach Carroll, I know exactly what’s going on.”
This just could work.
At USC and with the Titans, White showed that he has the talent to be an offensive force. Despite sharing a backfield with Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush at USC, White still set a Pac-10 record with 57 career touchdowns. A second-round pick, White continued to show promise early in his career with the Titans, rushing for 1,100 yards in 2007 and scoring 15 touchdowns in 2008. He came to camp in shape in 2009, but struggled to get carries as Tennessee’s Chris Johnson rushed for 2006 yards, which led to a falling out White prefers not to discuss.
“I don’t really want to comment about that no more,” he said. “I’m out of Tennessee, I’m happy to be a Seattle Seahawk. This is where I needed to be, and it’s obviously where I was supposed to be. My prayers are answered. I obviously wanted a different situation, a new start and it came to light, so I’m excited about it.”
The biggest concern in White’s career has been his weight, which at times has reportedly ballooned to 260 pounds, but he looks fit now, weighing in at 225 pounds. And despite a minor groin injury that has limited his work in minicamp, White has looked quick and nimble for a power back.
“I feel great, man,” he said. “It’s a long time coming. I’ve been through situations. Everybody knows my past, out of shape LenDale, this and that, but for me to come in here in shape, 225, just feeling good. I feel great man. It’s the best I’ve felt in my career.”
And an in-shape, motivated White could certainly be a huge addition for the Seahawks. Seattle finished the 2009 season with the league’s 26th-ranked rushing offense, and while plenty of the blame for that goes to the offensive line, Seattle’s running backs weren’t exactly scaring opposing defenses either.
Of course there is always a chance White will put weight back on. Or become unhappy if Leon Washington, Julius Jones or Justin Forsett takes carries from him. But even if that were to happen, the Seahawks would have given up very little to find out what he still has left in the tank. Seattle traded down seven spots in the fifth round and nine in the seventh to obtain White and defensive tackle Kevin Vickerson, so it won’t take much production out of either to make that move worthwhile.
It’s probably asking too much to expect Washington and White to become what Bush and White were at USC. But Carroll thinks he can get production out of multiple backs in the NFL just like he did in L.A., and those two provide the combination of power and speed that he likes.
And Carroll, like White, thinks a change of scenery could be just what the running back needs to turn things around.
“When a guy gets to change programs and it fits and he has the knowledge of who’s bringing him in and all, like we do, I think he’s taking it like it’s a great opportunity for him,” Carroll said. “His attitude is up. He’s looking forward to making something happen here and hopefully he can add to the position group.”
Again, there is plenty that could cause this not to work. The real test will come if White doesn’t get the playing time he craves, but at such a low price, it is the perfect gamble on an imperfect player.
“I’m excited man,” White said. “This is a chance I’ve been waiting for my whole life. It was great to be drafted by the Tennessee Titans, to get a start there, but this is a place where I feel like this is going to be my home and I can make a great future here.”
Yep, this just could work out.
Herald Writer John Boyle: jboyle@heraldnet.com. For more Seahawks coverage, check out the Seahawks blog at heraldnet.com/seahawksblog
LenDale White, whose career in Tennessee fizzled out, is trying to reclaim his place as a productive running back in the NFL, while the Seahawks are simply trying to reclaim a running game.
And call me crazy, but this just might work.
White comes to Seattle with baggage. Plenty of it. He has struggled with his weight at times, he claimed to have lost 30 pounds by simply cutting out heavy tequila drinking a year ago, and he reportedly missed meetings when his playing time declined last season with the Titans. But White is just 25, comes to Seattle at little risk to the team, and if the big running back is going to turn his career around, this just might be the place for it to happen.
Through two days of a three-day minicamp, White looks and sounds like a player genuinely happy for a new life in Seattle. During an interview that lasted about five minutes Friday, White used the word excited at least nine times, and couldn’t stop smiling at the thought of being reunited with his college coach, Pete Carroll.
“It’s unbelievable, my prayers are answered,” he said. “I just wanted to get a new start, a fresh situation. Coach Carroll called me, it was unbelievable, man. I feel like it’s home, because I played for coach Carroll, I know exactly what’s going on.”
This just could work.
At USC and with the Titans, White showed that he has the talent to be an offensive force. Despite sharing a backfield with Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush at USC, White still set a Pac-10 record with 57 career touchdowns. A second-round pick, White continued to show promise early in his career with the Titans, rushing for 1,100 yards in 2007 and scoring 15 touchdowns in 2008. He came to camp in shape in 2009, but struggled to get carries as Tennessee’s Chris Johnson rushed for 2006 yards, which led to a falling out White prefers not to discuss.
“I don’t really want to comment about that no more,” he said. “I’m out of Tennessee, I’m happy to be a Seattle Seahawk. This is where I needed to be, and it’s obviously where I was supposed to be. My prayers are answered. I obviously wanted a different situation, a new start and it came to light, so I’m excited about it.”
The biggest concern in White’s career has been his weight, which at times has reportedly ballooned to 260 pounds, but he looks fit now, weighing in at 225 pounds. And despite a minor groin injury that has limited his work in minicamp, White has looked quick and nimble for a power back.
“I feel great, man,” he said. “It’s a long time coming. I’ve been through situations. Everybody knows my past, out of shape LenDale, this and that, but for me to come in here in shape, 225, just feeling good. I feel great man. It’s the best I’ve felt in my career.”
And an in-shape, motivated White could certainly be a huge addition for the Seahawks. Seattle finished the 2009 season with the league’s 26th-ranked rushing offense, and while plenty of the blame for that goes to the offensive line, Seattle’s running backs weren’t exactly scaring opposing defenses either.
Of course there is always a chance White will put weight back on. Or become unhappy if Leon Washington, Julius Jones or Justin Forsett takes carries from him. But even if that were to happen, the Seahawks would have given up very little to find out what he still has left in the tank. Seattle traded down seven spots in the fifth round and nine in the seventh to obtain White and defensive tackle Kevin Vickerson, so it won’t take much production out of either to make that move worthwhile.
It’s probably asking too much to expect Washington and White to become what Bush and White were at USC. But Carroll thinks he can get production out of multiple backs in the NFL just like he did in L.A., and those two provide the combination of power and speed that he likes.
And Carroll, like White, thinks a change of scenery could be just what the running back needs to turn things around.
“When a guy gets to change programs and it fits and he has the knowledge of who’s bringing him in and all, like we do, I think he’s taking it like it’s a great opportunity for him,” Carroll said. “His attitude is up. He’s looking forward to making something happen here and hopefully he can add to the position group.”
Again, there is plenty that could cause this not to work. The real test will come if White doesn’t get the playing time he craves, but at such a low price, it is the perfect gamble on an imperfect player.
“I’m excited man,” White said. “This is a chance I’ve been waiting for my whole life. It was great to be drafted by the Tennessee Titans, to get a start there, but this is a place where I feel like this is going to be my home and I can make a great future here.”
Yep, this just could work out.
Herald Writer John Boyle: jboyle@heraldnet.com. For more Seahawks coverage, check out the Seahawks blog at heraldnet.com/seahawksblog
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