Today we'll highlight a defensive back
#22 JerMichael White
Class: Redshirt Senior
Hometown: Johnson City, TN
High School: Science Hill HS
Height / Weight: 6-1 / 185
Position: Defensive Back
2018 (Senior): Injury limited him to three games played with two starts on the season … Recorded 15 tackles in the three games he played including a season-high nine against VMI (Sept. 22) … Credited with three pass break-ups on the year … Was instrumental in the road win at Gardner-Webb (Sept. 14), recording a pair of interceptions to go along with three tackles … Was awarded a fifth-year with a redshirt.
2017 (Junior): Saw action in all 12 of the team's games with eight starts in the defensive secondary ... Finished the year with 67 tackles including 35 solo stops and one tackle for loss ... Recorded tackles in all but one of the games in which he played, twice posting double-digit tackles in the year with 12 stops in the road win at Gardner-Webb (Sept. 16) and a career-high 15 tackles against FBS-foe North Carolina (Nov. 18) ... Broke up five passes on the year including two in the home win over ETSU (Oct. 14) ... Had four tackles including one for a loss against Furman (Oct. 28) ... Was credited with one quarterback hurry.
2016 (Sophomore): Played in seven games as a reserve in the defensive secondary and on special teams with his first career start coming at Mercer (Oct. 15) ... Recorded 11 total tackles with seven solo stops ... Matched his previous career-high with three tackles twice, doing so in the season-opener at East Carolina (Sept. 3) and at Mercer ... Tallied one pass break-up at Mercer ... Credited with four tackles in WCU's annual Spring Game.
2015 (Freshman): Appeared in nine games as a true freshman, each coming as a defensive reserve and on special teams ... Recorded 11 tackles including six solo stops ... Made his collegiate debut in the season-opener against Mars Hill (Sept. 5), tallying his first career tackle against the Lions ... Recorded a career-high three tackles twice -- at Tennessee (Sept. 19) and against Furman (Nov. 7), forcing a fumble in the latter.
Prior to Western Carolina: Played mostly wide receiver and defensive back before seeing more time at running back as a senior ... Rushed for 474 yards and seven touchdowns while also catching 30 passes for 439 yards and three scores ... Defensively, racked up 55 tackles with six TFLs while intercepting five passes, returning two for scores ... Played in the Eighth-Annual Border Bowl between Kentucky and Tennessee, catching a touchdown pass as a wide receiver ... Missed four games due to a hand injury as a junior ... High school coach was Stacy Carter ... Also played basketball and ran track as a prep.
Personal: Full name is Jermichael White ... Is the son of Tonya White ... Has a younger brother.
Career Highs:
Tackles: 15, at North Carolina (Nov. 18)
Interceptions: 2, at Gardner-Webb (Sept. 14)
Courtesy WCU Athletics Media Relations
