It’s the most prestigious individual award in all of sports, and Athlon's Heisman Watch spotlights the top 25 candidates to hoist the trophy. West Virginia quarterback Pat White is next on the 2008 list, which will be released in no particular order.

Pat White enters his senior year as one of the nation’s top dual-threat quarterbacks and a frontrunner to contend for the Heisman Trophy. Outside of Florida and Tim Tebow, there may not be a team that leans more on one player than West Virginia does with White. In his three seasons as a starter, White has compiled a record-setting career and he’s got one more shot at claiming a national title.

The senior quarterback has posted back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons, but his passing has steadily improved. In 2007, White finished ninth in the NCAA in passing efficiency along with posting a career-low four interceptions. One of White’s best performances of 2007 came in the Fiesta Bowl against Oklahoma. The Mountaineers were considered underdogs against the Sooners, but White led the way with 326 yards of total offense and two touchdowns — along with winning Fiesta Bowl Offensive MVP honors.

White owns the Big East career rushing record by a quarterback with 3,506 yards, and his 247 rushing yards against Syracuse in 2006 are a Big East record for a quarterback. Additionally, the Mountaineers are a robust 26-4 with White as the starting quarterback, and he has won back-to-back Big East offensive player of the year honors. His 18 rushing touchdowns in 2007 ranked second in Mountaineer history, and owns four of the top five Big East single game quarterback rushing records.

The departure of head coach Rich Rodriguez will mean a few changes to the Mountaineer offense. White will continue to be a 1,000-yard threat on the ground, but new offensive coordinator Jeff Mullen will likely implement more passing into the gameplan. By adding in more passing into the offense, the Mountaineers will have a shot at keeping White healthy for the entire year — rather than risk 200 rushing attempts.

Why he’ll be holding the hardware: White will once again shoulder the offensive workload for this team. With his ability to beat defenses on the ground or through the air, White has a knack of finding ways to win and that’s a big plus in the Heisman race. If the Mountaineers navigate undefeated through the schedule that features a home date against Auburn and a road date against Colorado, White should be one of the top five contenders for the Heisman.

Why he’ll be left out: Although head coach Bill Stewart did an excellent job in having this team prepared for the Fiesta Bowl, what if the team doesn’t respond to him for a full year? Will the Mountaineers suffer any drop-off? Injuries have been a concern in White’s career and if he misses a couple of games, he could fall out of the Heisman race. Additionally, running back Noel Devine will be a threat to steal some of his thunder with his highlight reel running plays.

Final Analysis: There may be some skeptics about the Mountaineer team in 2008, but look for another strong season and White to be in the thick of the Heisman race. The senior quarterback is one of the top all-around quarterbacks, and he’ll turn his 2008 performance into a trip to New York at the end of the year.

2007 STAT LINE

Other Links:

Athlon Sports' 2008 Heisman Watch
Read the West Virginia team preview
Watch the West Virginia preview video