White To Compete With Henne At Quarterback

We believed before the draft that the teams interested in former West Virginia quarterback Pat White fell into two camps: (1) those that want him to be a Wildcat-style jack-of-all-trades; and (2) those that want him to play quarterback. The Dolphins fell into a category we had not yet envisioned. Both. G.M. Jeff Ireland said Sunday that White will not only run the Wildcat offense, but also pursue playing time in base offense as a quarterback. “They’re going to be competing for the position,’' Ireland said regarding the status of White and Chad Henne. So White won’t be a receiver/kick returner/five-snaps-per-game run/throw/handoff quarterback. He’s a quarterback who’ll replace Ronnie Brown as the guy who takes the snaps in the Wildcat formation, and who could supplant Henne on the depth chart. Though we’re reluctant to criticize the Dolphins at a time when our blue-and-gold glasses are being partially adjusted to include shades of aqua and coral, the pick devoted to White represents the fifth second-round selection since 2004 that the Fins have used on a quarterback. In 2004, Miami sent a second-round pick to Philly for A.J. Feeley. In 2006, a second-round pick went to Minnesota for Daunte Culpepper. In 2007, the team used a second-rounder on John Beck. In 2008, Chad Henne arrived via second-round pick. Though White might not be the best quarterback of the bunch, he’s the most dynamic athlete. And if Parcells didn’t see in White that same kind of quiet Alabama don’t-tell-me-there’s-something-I-can’t-do attitude that pushed Bo Jackson to become a two-sport star 20 years ago, Parcells wouldn’t have drafted the kid from Daphne who landed in Morgantown only after folks in his home state thought he couldn’t play quarterback at the college level. So keep doubting him. He’ll just continue to keep his mouth shut and his head down and before you know it he’ll be getting it done.