Hall of Fame
Position: Running Back
Years: 1984-87
Place of Birth: Hollywood, Florida
Date of Birth: April 12, 1966
Jersey Number: 34
Height: 5-11
Weight: 211
High School: Dillard HS (Fort Lauderdale, FL)
One of the greatest running backs in Michigan State history, Lorenzo White rewrote the school and conference record books and remains the Spartans’ all-time leading rusher. He becomes the 10th player in school history to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
A two-time First Team All-American, White earned unanimous honors in 1985 and consensus laurels in 1987 while finishing fourth in the Heisman Trophy balloting in both seasons. A First Team All-Big Ten selection in 1985 and 1987, he also garnered second team all-conference recognition in 1986 and led Michigan State to three bowl games. The first player in program history to lead the team in rushing for four consecutive seasons, White holds nearly every Michigan State career rushing record, including rushing attempts (1,082), rushing yards (4,887), rushing touchdowns (43) and 100-yard rushing games (23). At the end of his career, his 4,887 rushing yards were the second most in Big Ten history, and they still rank in the top 10. He also owns two of the top three single-game rushing performances in school history, including a career-best 292 yards against Indiana in 1987.
During his senior season in 1987, White guided the Spartans to the Big Ten title and their first Rose Bowl berth since the 1965 season. In that Rose Bowl, the team captain capped his stellar career with a 113-yard, two-touchdown performance in a win over No. 16 USC to help Michigan State earn the No. 8 final ranking. During his stellar 1985 campaign, White rushed for a school and Big Ten single-season record 2,066 yards. His 1,908 yards during the regular season at the time were the fourth-highest single-season rushing total in the history of college football and the highest by a sophomore. White rushed for 100 or more yards in all but one game in 1985, including four occasions over the 200-yard mark, and he became the first Spartan to lead the FBS in rushing (173.5 yards per game). He also set a still-standing FBS record that season for most rushing attempts in two consecutive games, racking up 102 combined carries against Purdue (53) and Minnesota (49).
A first round pick in the 1988 NFL Draft, White played seven seasons for the Houston Oilers before a final season with the Cleveland Browns in 1995. His best season as a pro came in 1992 when he was selected to the Pro Bowl.
White has given back to the community through the Lorenzo White Foundation, which supports local and national organizations in establishing and promoting athletic youth programs. A member of the Michigan State Athletics Hall of Fame in 2010, he played alongside College Football Hall of Famer Percy Snow during his career in East Lansing.
