College Sports “IT WAS TOUGH, BUT I HAD GREAT SUPPORT. MY TEAMMATES, THE COACHES, MY FAMILY, THEY REALLY RALLIED BEHIND ME." Kobay White’s senior season was over before it truly began.

On the second day of preseason camp in 2020, the Boston College wide receiver elevated to try and reel in a pass and landed awkwardly on his left leg. White didn’t know what the injury was

initially, and he tried to play through the pain in his knee, but a few weeks later he learned that he had partially torn his ACL. White was forced to cope with the unsettling reality that

he wouldn’t be a part of one of the most dynamic BC passing attacks in years. He sat down with head coach Jeff Hafley to map out his future, and Hafley told him he would gladly bring White

behind me and made sure I always had a positive mindset and positive vibes all around.” The shifty and savvy 5-foot-11, 198-pound receiver was second on the team in receptions with 34 as a

redshirt freshman in 2017, first with 33 in 2018, and first with 29 in 2019. He’s entering his sixth year with the program and is one of the most experienced players in the Atlantic Coast

Conference. White was obviously disappointed because of the nature of the injury itself, but the timing was particularly frustrating because he knew BC’s NFL-style, pass-heavy offense would

flourish with Hafley, offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti Jr., quarterback Phil Jurkovec, tight end Hunter Long, speedster Zay Flowers, and plenty of other playmakers in the mix.

Advertisement: For context, Long (57) and Flowers (56) had nearly twice as many receptions in 2020 as White did when he led the team in 2019. That’s in no way an indictment on White, it’s

simply a product of how much the offense changed once Hafley and his staff took over. “I knew I was coming back, so being able to see what the offense turned into really got me pumped up,”

White said. “I think we’re really going to be able to shock the country this year.” While the mission was clear, and the end goal was tangible, rehabbing and staying levelheaded wasn’t

necessarily easy for White. He prioritized recovering well, eating right, getting sleep, and staying hydrated. Even when his body didn’t cooperate, he knew closely following the guidelines

laid out for him would pay dividends in the long run. “I had a bunch of ups and downs, but it’s part of the process,” White said. “The hardest parts are when you have those really good days,

and you’re feeling really good, then you go right back to having those bad days. You’ve just got to keep a good mindset throughout the whole time.” Advertisement: When asked how he feels

now, White grinned and said “pretty good.” Hafley said White is getting his legs back and that he expects him to keep steadily improving in the coming weeks as the Eagles prepare for Colgate

on Saturday, Sept. 4, at noon at Alumni Stadium.  Hafley said he often reminds White that his skillset will gradually reemerge, and the key is continuing to work hard and staying patient as

he tries to return to his old self. Just because a particular ability isn’t fully there now, that doesn’t mean it won’t ever come back. “When you don’t play football for such a long period

of time and you have an injury like he did, you’ve just got to learn to trust it, and let it loose, and I think you’re starting to see him do that,” Hafley said. Jurkovec said White – who

still sports a brace on his left leg – has looked sharp every day and is getting more comfortable as camp progresses. The benefit for White is that he doesn’t have to come back and try to do

too much or over-assert himself. Advertisement: The Eagles, who finished third in the ACC with 284.2 passing yards per game last year, are poised to have one of the deepest and most dynamic

receiving corps in the conference again. Flowers, CJ Lewis, Jaelen Gill, Trae Barry, Jehlani Galloway, Ethon Williams, and Jaden Williams, among others, are in the mix as pass-catchers, and

now there’s one more familiar name defenses have to worry about once again. “I watched all the receivers have a great year last year,” White said. “I’m just excited to join the team and be

a part of it.” TREVOR HASS Trevor Hass is a sports producer for Boston.com, where he writes and edits stories about Boston's professional teams, among other tasks. GET THE LATEST BOSTON

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