Bonus feature

PULLMAN – Getting ready to play the No. 1 team in college football, the USC Trojans?

Here’s a primer: The quarterback, Matt Leinart, entered the season as a Heisman Trophy favorite; a running back, Reggie Bush, is the most electric player in the country and could take that award for himself; the defensive tackles, Shaun Cody and Mike Patterson, are probably the best tandem in America; and, for good measure, the punter, Tom Malone, was a 2003 All-American.

The bottom line? The most consistent threat USC has may not be one of those players.

You may not know much about the Trojans’ other big option at running back, but LenDale White has powered the USC offense all season long. In fact, he became the first freshman in USC history to lead the team in rushing. That was last season, and this year he’s continued to bulldoze opposing defenses.

White doesn’t get quite as much hype as his flashier teammates because, at 6-foot-2 and 235 pounds, he doesn’t make many of the highlight-reel plays for which Bush and Leinart are famous.

“He’s a feature back. He’s what the NFL looks for in a big guy,” USC running backs coach Todd McNair said. “Reggie’s getting a bunch of hype. So is Matt Leinart. Sometimes guys get lost, but he’s a tremendous back and he’s deserving of equal attention as those guys.”

White leads the Trojans in rushing once again this season with 548 yards — 5.4 a carry — and seven rushing touchdowns. But Washington State didn’t need to see this year’s action to know how effective the sophomore can be. Last year, White had just 12 rushes but ended up with 149 yards against the Cougars, including the game’s final touchdown.

While stopping Bush and the passing game draws much of the attention, WSU knows that if teams don’t stop White and the inside running game first, there isn’t much of a chance to contain the outside threats.

“We knew (White) was good, but when they played us, man, he runs really hard,” Cougars defensive line coach Mike Walker said. “I think he’s the glue. Because when they get into their running game — and USC’s always been known for having great backs — I’m kind of glad they don’t go to him more than they do. If they use him, boy, he’d be a terror.”

White is known as one of the loosest players on the Trojans sidelines, constantly laughing and smiling around teammates. That demeanor has helped him deal with the lack of attention, which he probably would receive playing for any other team.

Playing for a team such as USC, with the opportunity to win a national championship as a freshman, has more than offset any disappointment.

“Sometimes it can be frustrating,” White said. “But when it comes to that point, or you feel like that, you have to go out and work harder. Make people respect you and give you what you deserve. And maybe if they don’t know about me now, they’ll know about me after the year.

“There’s no other place in the world I’d rather be: Los Angeles, nice weather, pretty girls, great school, Tailback U. There’s nothing that would change my mind to come to USC.”

One thing certainly lost in the shuffle is White’s versatility. Most backs with his size are known for putting their head down and running over people. While the Colorado native said he does like the contact, that’s only one part of the skill set he brings to the field. Both McNair and offensive coordinator Norm Chow called him a natural pass-catcher, and suggested that if Bush weren’t around as a dual threat, White would probably see a lot more snaps split outside.

At USC, however, that embarrassment of riches is something Chow is willing to handle.

“He’s not just a big ol’ guy running through the line of scrimmage. He catches the ball real well. We just haven’t had that many opportunities to get the ball to him,” Chow said. “There’s only so many reps, right?”