A few days before Ohio’s first game of the season, Papi White laughed at the thought of his killer metabolism.
White, a redshirt junior who split time as a running back and receiver for two seasons, tried adding weight in the offseason to remain a backfield presence. He took creatine, drank Muscle Milk and loaded up on carbs and protein in four to five meals a day.
Nothing worked. As a result, White, at 5-foot-9 and 168 pounds, took reps exclusively as a receiver for the first time Saturday in the Bobcats’ 59-0 win against Hampton. He caught three passes for 35 yards and his team’s lone receiving touchdown.
“We never said, ‘Hey, you gotta be 190 or 185,’” offensive coordinator Tim Albin said. “It’s just that we think he can be an NFL-type receiver. He’s explosive enough and talented enough to put up the kind of numbers that he’ll have scouts looking at him.”
White’s numbers from last season show why a receiver-only shift makes sense.
In 2016, he tied for first on the team in receiving touchdowns (six), second in receiving yards (672) and third in receptions (41). The only players who finished tied or ahead of him in those categories, Sebastian Smith and Jordan Reid, have graduated.
On the running side, White was much less of a factor. Even with a handful of injuries to the backfield group, including a season-ending foot injury for starter A.J. Ouellette in the first game, White was fifth in rushing yards (240) and sixth in attempts (47).
Against Hampton, White lined up out wide in the slot. He’s also the Bobcats’ primary punt returner, which gives him another bundle of playmaking opportunities.
“I just feel comfortable when the ball is in my hand,” White said.
He looked plenty comfortable in the first quarter Saturday, catching a pass in the red zone from quarterback Quinton Maxwell, toeing the sideline to evade a defender and scoring for the team’s first points of the game.
By keeping White out of the backfield, at least for now, Albin believes he can make room for as much skill and athleticism as possible on the field at one time.
“You try to build your offense around your best 11 guys,” he said. “He’s dang sure one of our best 11. So is A.J. And I rotate A.J. and (fellow running back) Dorian (Brown) so Papi can stay on the field.”
For White, who Ohio coach Frank Solich said is one of the two fastest players on the team along with receiver Brendan Cope, gaining weight may no longer be an immediate priority. But if he hopes to have a shot at the NFL, adding a few pounds won’t hurt.
“You can never be too big, too fast or too strong,” Albin said. “Does he have to be 190? No, he does not.”
