Tony White - Football Coach - Syracuse University Athletics

Tony White

Title:
Defensive Coordinator
Email:
awhite10@syr.edu
Phone:
4817

Tony White spent three seasons at Syracuse as the defensive coordinator, implementing the 3-3-5 defense and allowing under 330 yards per game in each of his last two seasons. White left for another coaching opportunity in December, 2022.

A disciple of defensive guru Rocky Long and the two-time Scout.com Mountain West Recruiter of the Year, White brought the 3-3-5 to ‘Cuse.

In 2022, 'Cuse finished 21st nationally in total defense (328.6) and 14th nationally in passing defense (184.8). White, who took over the linebacker position prior to the season, saw two members of his unit finish the season with All-ACC accolades in Mikel Jones and Marlowe Wax. Jones was also a Butkus Award Semifinalist. White's defense succeeded in bringing the Orange to a bowl appearahce for the first time since 2018.

In 2021, Syracuse held opponents to 330 yards per game, which ranked 19th nationally and second in the ACC. Orange stars Jones (LB) and Cody Roscoe (DE) earned First Team All-ACC honors, while Garrett Williams, Duce Chestnut and Josh Black were also honored by the league. Syracuse made a habit of getting after the quarterback, ranking third in the ACC in sacks (3.1) and 16th in the FBS.

In his first season at Syracuse, three Syracuse players earned Freshman All-America honors (Garrett Williams, Ja’Had Carter and Stefon Thompson) from various publications. The Orange started as many as six freshmen on defense and five on multiple occasions that year, the most in program history. Chestnut added to that total in 2021, earning the honor from multiple outlets, and making four Freshman All-America selections from the SU defense in White’s first two seasons.

White arrived in Syracuse after a short stint as the Sun Devils’ defensive coordinator, a position he was appointed to in December 2019. He ran the defense in ASU’s 20-14 victory over Florida State in the 2019 Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl, a game in which the Sun Devils shut out the Seminoles for nearly three quarters and scored a defensive touchdown.

In White’s two seasons at Arizona State, the Sun Devils allowed just 13 passing plays of 40+ yards – a marked improvement over the 34 such plays ASU gave up in the two years before White got to Tempe. The Sun Devil secondary made dramatic gains in White’s first year, climbing 50 spots in the NCAA’s passing defense rankings. That growth continued in 2019, as Arizona State finished the year 12th in the country with 65 passes defended. Three of White’s cornerbacks – Kobe White (2019), Jack Jones (2019) and Aashari Crosswell (2018) – were All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention selections.

Before arriving at ASU, White cemented himself as one of the nation’s top rising assistant coaches during a nine-year stint (2009-17) under Long at San Diego State. While helping the Aztec secondary consistently rank as one of the elite groups in the nation, White was named the Scout.com Mountain West Recruiter of the Year twice (2011, 2013). He was also recognized as the top recruiter among non-Power-Five schools in 2014 by Rivals.com.

White’s tenure coincided with one of the most successful eras in SDSU history. The Aztecs went to eight bowl games in White’s nine seasons and won three Mountain West Conference championships (2012, 2015, 2016).

SDSU finished with pass coverage grades ranked 31st or better in three of White’s last four years with the Aztecs, according to Pro Football Focus. In 2017, the Aztecs were 11th nationally and first in the Mountain West in total defense (314.5 ypg) and ranked 15th in the country in passing yards allowed (178.7). The strong showing followed a 2016 campaign in which San Diego State led the FBS with 26 interceptions.

One of White’s star pupils, Damontae Kazee, was instrumental to the success. Kazee became the first cornerback in conference history to win Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year honors twice, capturing the award in 2015 and 2016. Kazee also garnered 2015 USA Today Second Team All-America recognition and was selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the fifth round of the 2017 NFL Draft.

White also aided the development of cornerback J.J. Whittaker during that period. Whittaker earned All-Mountain West Second Team honors in 2014 and 2015 and was an All-MW Honorable Mention pick in 2013.

In 2015, the Aztecs authored one of the top defensive seasons in program history en route to the Mountain West title. San Diego State ranked second nationally with 23 interceptions and was No. 10 in passing efficiency defense (108.71). The performance came after a 2014 season in which SDSU ranked third in the FBS in defensive passing efficiency (112.1) and surrendered just 10 touchdowns through the air (second among Mountain West schools).

In 2013, White earned Scout.com Mountain West Recruiter of the Year honors for the second time in three seasons. On the field, Whittaker had a breakout first year under White’s tutelage. He led the Aztecs with 14 passes defended, good for the fifth in the conference.

The first time White’s recruiting prowess was formally recognized was in 2011 when he was tabbed Scout.com’s Mountain West Recruiter of the Year. Again the award was coupled with on-field success by his protégés. Both of SDSU’s starting cornerbacks, Leon McFadden and Larry Parker, earned first-team all-league honors. Parker, who was named an honorable mention All-American by SI.com, led the Mountain West with seven interceptions to tie for fourth nationally in his first season as a starter. McFadden, who topped the Mountain West in passes defended twice in his career, went on to become a third-round draft pick of the Cleveland Browns in 2013.

White came to San Diego State after spending the 2008 season with Long at New Mexico. White was in charge of the Lobos’ linebackers and mentored two all-conference selections (Zach Arnett and Herbert Felder). The 2008 Lobos ranked 26th nationally against the run, 45th in total defense and 46th in scoring defense.

Before moving to Albuquerque, White got his start in the college ranks as the graduate assistant for football operations at UCLA in 2007. White assisted with the day-to-day running of the program, recruiting administration and distributed player information to pro scouts. In 2006, White served as the head football coach at St. Genevieve High School in Panorama City, California, where he led the team to its best record in 13 seasons and coached two first-team All-CIF selections.

As a player, White was a three-year starter and four-year letterman at outside linebacker for Bob Toledo at UCLA from 1997-2000. White made 64 tackles as a senior captain in 2000 and earned the program’s N.N. Sugarman Award for Best Leadership. After his collegiate career ended, White played four seasons in the Canadian Football League for the Calgary Stampeders, Ottawa Renegades (now the Redblacks) and Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

A 2002 UCLA graduate, White holds a bachelor’s degree in history.

He and his wife, Angela, have a son, Anthony III, and a daughter, Ava.

THE WHITE FILE
Experience: 17th season/3rd at Syracuse
Hometown: El Paso, Texas
Alma Mater: UCLA '02
Family: wife, Angela; son, Anthony III; daughter, Ava

PLAYING EXPERIENCE
UCLA (1997-2000)
Calgary Stampeders (CFL, 2002)
Ottawa Renegades (CFL, 2003-04)
Hamilton Tiger-Cats (CFL, 2005)

COACHING LEDGER
Years	School	Position
2006	St. Genevieve HS (Calif.)	Head Coach
2007	UCLA	Graduate Assistant
2008	New Mexico	Linebackers
2009-10	San Diego State	Cornerbacks
2011-17	San Diego State	Cornerbacks/Recruiting Coordinator
2018-19	Arizona State	Cornerbacks/Defensive Passing Game Coordinator
2020-21	Syracuse	Defensive Coordinator
2022	Syracuse	Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers

POSTSEASON COACHING EXPERIENCE
2007 Las Vegas Bowl
2010 Poinsettia Bowl
2011 New Orleans Bowl
2012 Poinsettia Bowl
2013 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
2014 Poinsettia Bowl
2015 Hawaii Bowl
2016 Las Vegas Bowl
2017 Armed Forces Bowl
2018 Las Vegas Bowl
2019 Sun Bowl
2022 Pinstripe Bowl (left prior to the game)

PROMINENT PLAYERS COACHED
New Mexico
Zach Arnett (2008 All-Mountain West Honorable Mention)
Herbert Felder (2008 All-Mountain West Honorable Mention)

San Diego State
Damontae Kazee (Atlanta Falcons)
Leon McFadden (Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, San Francisco 49ers, Arizona Cardinals, New York Giants, Dallas Cowboys, Atlanta Falcons)
Larry Parker (2011 SI.com Honorable Mention All-American, 2011 All-Mountain West First Team)
Jose Perez (Miami Dolphins)
J.J. Whittaker (Two-time All-Mountain West Second Team selection, 2013 All-Mountain West Honorable Mention)

Arizona State
Jack Jones (2019 All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention)
Chase Lucas (Detroit Lions)
Kobe Williams (2019 All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention)

Syracuse
Josh Black (New Orleans Saints)
Andre Cisco (Jacksonville Jaguars)
Kingsley Jonathan (Buffalo Bills)
Mikel Jones (3x All-ACC)
Ifeatu Melifonwu (Detroit Lions)
Cody Roscoe (First Team All-ACC)
McKinley Williams (Indianapolis Colts)
Trill Williams (Miami Dolphins)