James White is no stranger to big football games. The former Wisconsin running back, now a rookie with the New England Patriots, arrived in Arizona Monday for one of the most anticipated games of his life: Super Bowl XLIX.
In his time with the Badgers, which spanned from 2010-’13, White played in four bowl games, including three consecutive Rose Bowls in the first years of his collegiate career.
Despite his experience with postseason football at UW, White has been humbled by the national spectacle that the week leading up to the Super Bowl has become. Starting with a spirited send-off from fans Monday in Boston, to Media Day Tuesday and on to a few days of highly focused practices before Sunday, the week leading up to the game has developed into a frenzy.
White said that while the anticipation before bowl games in college was always thrilling, preparation for the Super Bowl is on “a totally different spectrum.”
“I’m just excited to be here, excited for the opportunity,” White said in a phone interview. “I come to work every day and give it all I have. Not many people make it to this point. I’m just excited to be here.”
White is not the only former Badger converging on Phoenix this week. He’s joined by teammate Jonathan Casillas, and the Seahawks’ Russell Wilson, O’Brien Schofield, David Gilreath (injured reserve) and Mike Taylor (also on injured reserve). Although White and Wilson, teammates in 2011, don’t keep in touch regularly, they’re members of an increasingly ballooning fraternity of former Badgers that have made the jump to the next level.
A total of 34 Wisconsin players are on NFL rosters, a product of what White identified as a professional atmosphere surrounding UW athletics that holds players accountable for their actions, both on and off the field.
“That has to do with a lot of things at Wisconsin as far as the school, and as far as athletics,” White said. “I feel like [it’s] a lot of responsibility in college.”
Drafted in the fourth round of the 2014 draft, White was immediately immersed in the championship culture in New England. The Patriots have topped the AFC East six seasons in a row and are playing in their sixth Super Bowl since 2002. The team’s perennial spot in the playoffs has, rightfully so, driven expectations skyward and created a deeply engrossed fan base.
This type of impassioned football following is nothing new to White, as the rookie running back drew parallels between the intensity of football fans in Madison and those in Foxborough.
“I feel it’s pretty similar. Very passionate football fans,” White said. “They love the team and they love to see us. They’re very kind, very friendly people. Very similar to the Wisconsin fans.”
Although White has seen limited playing time, as he has just nine carries and five receptions on the season, he feels that he has steadily improved throughout his rookie campaign. He’s paid special attention to cultivating the skills necessary to become the versatile, catch-all back that defines the position in the NFL.
“I’m just trying to become an overall football player, a complete player,” White said. “A guy that can pass block, run up the middle, catch the ball, do all the stuff that I do.”
In addition to his focus on improving his stock as a professional running back, White has kept a close eye on his alma mater. White praised freshly hired head coach Paul Chryst, whose tenure as offensive coordinator overlapped with White’s first two seasons with the program.
“I’m definitely excited. He’s a Wisconsin guy,” White said of Chryst. “He’s a great coach, really likes to get to know his players. He likes to have fun.”
A part of Chryst’s job description includes fostering the high level of play that has become associated with the Wisconsin running back position in recent history. UW has produced a 1,000-yard rusher in each of the last 10 seasons, starting with Brian Calhoun in 2005 and continuing with Melvin Gordon this past fall. White kept the streak alive in 2013, rushing for 1,444 yards and 13 touchdowns during his senior year.
White’s best season as a Badger also allowed him a firsthand look at the heir apparent in Wisconsin’s line of elite running backs in Corey Clement. Clement was a freshman during White’s last year at UW, but their limited time together was enough to convince White that the rushing baton will be in good hands next fall.
“I think he’s already shown—he’s always trying to prove himself, this past year and the year before, my senior year. He’s a guy that plays with a lot of energy,” White said of Clement. “He’s definitely the next big guy there.”
While White will continue to keep tabs on Wisconsin football, his attention this week is squarely on working hard in practice and preparing for Seattle. Although he may not have a large impact on the game Sunday, White’s humility and desire to soak everything in will make his inaugural trip to the Super Bowl a special one.
