Everyone since White has just been trying to measure up. Here's his bio from the CU record book:
Equally as known by his nickname (“Whizzer”) and more so as Justice White. Colorado’s first All-American in football; he was a consensus selection in 1937, including from Associated Press, UPI, International News Service, NEA, LIB, Colliers Magazine (Grantland Rice) and The Sporting News.
Led the nation in several categories in 1937: rushing (1,121 yards), total offense (1,596), all-purpose yards (1,970) and scoring (122 points). Finished second in the 1937 Heisman Trophy voting. The 1,121 rushing yards and 122 points were also NCAA records, and were not broken until colleges went to a 10-game schedule in 1949. Rushed for over 100 yards seven times in that ’37 season, almost unheard of in those days.
As the record book evolved through the years, it is estimated that at one time, he held as many as 50 individual school marks; in fact, at the time of his death in 2002, he still held 15 records some 65 years after his graduation. One that has stood the test of time is the longest punt in Buff annals, as his 83-yard kick against Missouri on Oct. 2, 1937, often carried the footnote, “without roll.” He participated in six plays of 75 yards or longer (nine 63-plus) in his CU career (runs, returns and the mammoth punt). The first and one of three Buffs to have his jersey number retired (#24).
He was also a .400 hitter on the baseball team, and a standout on CU’s basketball squad that made the N.I.T. in 1938. The fourth overall pick in the first round by Pittsburgh in the 1938 NFL Draft, he was a two-time all-pro halfback with both the Steelers (1939) and Detroit (1940-41); in-between, he studied at Oxford. He led the NFL in rushing twice (567 yards in 1938, 514 in 1940), the first player ever to lead the NFL in rushing his first two seasons. The only player in NFL history to lead the league in rushing as a rookie (1938) for a last place team (Pittsburgh was 2-9).
Awarded the prestigious Rhodes scholarship (in 1938) after an academic career at CU where he had 180 hours of A and 6 hours of B. Hall of Fame Gold Medal Award winner in 1962. One of three inaugural members of the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame (1965 induction). Presented the Theodore Roosevelt Award at the 1969 NCAA Honors luncheon. Named to CU’s All-Century Team in 1989; he received more votes than anyone else. GTE Academic All-America Hall of Fame (inducted 1996). The first inductee into the University of Colorado Athletic Hall of Fame in 1998.
Awarded the Bronze Star for service in Europe during WWII. Named deputy U.S. Attorney General by President John Kennedy in 1960. Named to U.S Supreme Court by Kennedy in 1962 and served 31 years, stepping down in 1993. Died at the age of 84 on April 15, 2002.
-Yeah, there's a reason why he has a statue at Folsom...
RUSHING
Season | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | Long |
1935 | 34 | 100 | 2.9 | 0 | ... |
1936 | 127 | 643 | 5.1 | 8 | ... |
1937 | 181 | 1,121 | 6.2 | 13 | 78 |
Totals | 342 | 1,864 | 5.5 | 21 | 78
|
PASSING
Season | Att | Com | Int | Pct | Yds | TD |
1935 | 30 | 9 | 4 | 45.0 | 79 | 0 |
1936 | 33 | 9 | 5 | 27.3 | 120 | 1 |
1937 | 43 | 21 | 7 | 48.8 | 475 | 2 |
Totals | 96 | 39 | 16 | 40.6 | 674 | 3 |
PUNT RETURNS
Season | No | Yds | Avg | TD | Long |
1935 | 6 | 67 | 11.2 | 0 | ... |
1936 | 29 | 319 | 11.0 | 0 | ... |
1937 | 47 | 587 | 12.5 | 3 | 86 |
Total | 82 | 973 | 11.9 | 3 | 86
|
KICKOFF RETURNS
Season | No | Yds | Avg | TD | Long |
1935 | 1 | 20 | 20 | 0 | 20 |
1936 | 7 | 327 | 46.7 | 2 | 100 |
1937 | 4 | 159 | 39.8 | 0 | ... |
Totals | 12 | 506 | 42.2 | 2 | 100 |
PUNTING
Season | No | Yds | Avg | Long |
1935 | 8 | 301 | 37.6 | ... |
1936 | 53 | 2,124 | 40.1 | ... |
1937 | 63 | 2,679 | 42.5 | 83 |
Totals | 124 | 5,104 | 41.2 | 83 |
INTERCEPTIONS
Season | No | Yds | Avg | TD |
1935 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 |
1936 | 4 | 50 | 12.5 | 0 |
1937 | 4 | 103 | 25.8 | 0 |
Totals | 8 | 153 | 19.1 | 0 |