Ricky White could see extra attention as UNLV football season opens at Houston

It’s a pretty simple question, yet UNLV football players and coaches have a difficult time answering: How does Ricky White get so open?

Checking in at 6-foot-1, 180 pounds, White possesses fine measurables for a wide receiver, but nothing that would make him a physical outlier. He’s fast, but not a gold-medal sprinter. He’s quick, but probably not even the best change-of-direction guy in the UNLV receivers room.

So, again, how does he get so open?

White proved enigmatic for defenses last year, as he eluded coverage again and again while hauling in 88 catches for a school-record 1,483 yards and eight touchdowns. Now he’s back for a senior campaign that should center him as the engine of the passing attack as the program looks to contend not only for a Mountain West title, but for a spot in the college football playoffs.

Expect UNLV to target White often in Saturday’s season opener at Houston (4 p.m., FS1), and expect White to be open just about every time. Just don’t ask how he does it.

After working with White for two years, receivers coach Del Alexander said it just comes down to White’s feel for finding open space.

“I can’t describe it,” Alexander says. “He’s got a knack for separating. He’s got an instinct for seeing defenders and working away from their leverage and their technique.”

Senior slot receiver Jacob De Jesus, who may be the quickest pass-catcher on the roster, can’t offer much more in the way of an explanation, either.

“Ricky White is phenomenal, man,” De Jesus says. “Even in double coverage he can still get open.”

That’s a key point, as opposing defenses figure to throw the kitchen sink at White this season. His breakout 2023 season gave opponents plenty of tape to study, and they may respond by double-covering him and generally game-planning to shade coverage in his direction.

Will he still be able to get open with all that extra attention from defensive coordinators? White hasn’t spent time worrying about it.

He’s confident he’s going to catch a lot of balls regardless of the coverage.

“I’m not really sure,” White says when asked if he expects to be defended differently this season. “I’m going to go out and kill every weekend, so it’s not really too much on my mind. It’s about executing and doing everything I can to help my team win.”

White hasn’t left anything to chance. He spent the offseason honing his fundamentals, putting in long sessions catching balls from the JUGS machine starting just days after UNLV’s season-ending loss in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl in December.

De Jesus joined White for those workouts, hoping to glean some insight on how White does what he does.

“I’ve been learning a lot from him,” De Jesus says. “I try to copy what he does. He’s the blueprint. He’s a phenomenal receiver that’s going to go in the first round next year.”

White is certainly ticketed for the NFL; in April he figures to become the first UNLV player drafted since 2010. But what he leaves behind at UNLV will be the example he has set during his rise from second-chance transfer to preseason All-American.

Receivers coach Del Alexander credits White for assuming a leadership role and driving the rest of the pass-catchers to live up to his standard.

“Ricky White is the first guy after meetings to be on the field and prepared to take the field for pre-practice fundamentals,” Alexander says. “So if Ricky’s first out, then why wouldn’t anyone else be out there?”

His teammates have noticed. White will be one of four team captains for the 2024 season, voted on by the players.

White says he felt blessed by the honor, and that he will continue to set an example by being the first man up.

“With me being a leader, setting an example is a big main factor for me. I don’t want to just talk. I want to be the person that shows by example and does the right thing.

“I’m really just trying to bring the energy,” White says. “Not only for my group of guys, but the whole team. I feel like being out there early allows me to prepare mentally and physically.”

Will that work ethic help him shred secondaries again in 2024, even with multiple defenders tuned into his every move? It may end up being a moot point, as UNLV believes it has enough offensive threats at other positions to make teams pay for devoting too much energy to White.

De Jesus is one of those players who could feast against tilted defenses. Senior transfer receiver Casey Cain is another. And more defensive backs in coverage means lighter fronts, which would certainly be agreeable to UNLV’s offensive linemen and stable of running backs.

De Jesus says opponents should think twice about double-teaming White.

“I wouldn’t advise it,” De Jesus says. “As good as Ricky White is, if you try to eliminate him, we have two other threats and we can run the ball as well. I think that’s going to be a tough decision that defenses are going to have to make this year.”

Alexander would also welcome gimmick defenses, but he believes in the end, White will do his thing and end up with superstar numbers across the board.

However the defense lines up, White is going to get open.

“I’d love for them to double-team him,” Alexander says. “I’d love for them to rotate the coverage to him, because we’ve got a couple other guys and running backs and quarterbacks that are dual threats that will expose them. Hopefully they even it up. And if they do double-team Rick, it won’t stop us from throwing him the ball.”

Mike Grimala can be reached at 702-948-7844 or [email protected]. Follow Mike on Twitter at twitter.com/mikegrimala.