The Colorado Buffaloes are currently gearing up for their 2023 spring football practices, which culminate with the annual Black and Gold Spring Game on April 22. It will be the first time the Buffaloes will be led in a game-like setting under first-year head coach Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders. They’ll also be plenty of commits and recruits in attendance that weekend in Boulder, with one expected to be 2024 four-star commit Omar White, from Leesburg, Georgia.
Gun Explosion Hits Another College Athlete: Who’s Omar White?
White, a dominant defensive lineman attends state power Valdosta, and was named the class 1-7A Defensive Player of the Year in 2022. But now the talented interior game wrecker is in some trouble. Per the Valdosta Daily Times, White was recently charged with three felonies and taken into custody for his alleged involvement in two shootings which took place in late February.
White is innocent until proven guilty, but this isn’t a good look for the Buffaloes’ highest-rated recruit in the class of 2024. It’s also the first hiccup in what has been a rather smooth transition for Sanders and his assistants who arrived in December.
At that time, Coach Prime stressed what was expected out of his current players, commits and recruits as it pertains to character, and a positive mindset.
Here’s what he said about that very thing in his introductory presser.
“These young men are going to be on campus respectful and considerate and kind, opening doors for you and making sure everything is copacetic. And they’re gonna say ‘yes sir’ and ‘no sir,’ ‘yes ma’am’ and ‘no ma’am’ or they’re gonna have to deal with me. That’s just the way I father, that’s the way I parent, that’s the way I coach.”
White Has Some Serious Charges Hanging Over His Head
The shooting took place on Feb. 26. On March 3 the Valdosta Police Department was able to obtain the warrants for White’s arrest. Then the interior defensive lineman was taken into custody and charged with felony aggravated assault, felony aggravated battery, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime.
Those are some pretty hefty charges for anyone, but especially for White, who’s only 17 years old and considered a minor. While the story is still fluid as the case continues, this is exactly the opposite of what Coach Prime wanted. His detractors are surely looking sideways at this first challenge as head coach at Colorado.
Guilty or innocent, this doesn’t reflect well on White, who hasn’t even reached college yet. It wouldn’t be surprising if Sanders and the Buffaloes pull their offer after this very serious and unfortunate incident. Sanders talks a big game when it comes to being a disciplinarian. So he will either run or make a reclamation project out of White, if he doesn’t get convicted and is able to move on with his life.
Sanders Is A Disciplinarian
Since he arrived at Jackson State in 2020, Sanders has preached spirituality and discipline. He’s old school and doesn’t tolerate too much, in fact he showed that when he benched son Shilo for arriving to a 7 a.m. meeting at 6:55.
Coach Prime spoke of that on his recent appearance on “The Pivot” podcast.
It will be interesting to see how Coach Prime will handle this situation. All eyes are on him right now, but he’s also going to do what he wants to do, so that might play in White’s favor.
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