Release from UCLA:

LOS ANGELES –

Scott White, who has guided some of UCLA football’s most decorated linebackers during the past decade, was tabbed to lead the position group again Tuesday by head coach DeShaun Foster. White will serve as associate head coach and inside linebackers coach.

A defensive analyst for the Bruins in 2024, White worked directly with a linebackers group that featured first-team Associated Press All-America selection Carson Schwesinger. White was previously on UCLA’s staff from 2011-17, a stretch that saw national award winners Anthony Barr and Eric Kendricks make their way through Westwood and the Bruins reach five bowl games.

“Coach White’s track record speaks for itself,” said Foster. “Our program produces game changers at the linebacker position and he has helped develop some of the best. His contagious energy and teaching style make him perfect for this job.”

Schwesinger in 2024 piled up 136 total tackles, the ninth most by a Bruin in program history. He led the nation in solo tackles with 90 during the regular season. Schwesinger broke the 10-tackle mark nine times, including a stretch of six consecutive games across the former walk-on’s first career starts. He was a Butkus Award finalist and a Burlsworth Trophy semifinalist who made the All-Big Ten Defense First Team and has tabbed an All-American by each of the consensus organizations thus far. Kain Medrano also starred for the unit, making the All-Big Ten Defense Third Team.

White spent 2018-2023 at San Jose State, where he again coached one of the nation’s leading tacklers.  Across his five seasons as a Spartan, all under White, Kyle Harmon tallied 442 career tackles. Harmon broke the century mark twice and ranked third nationally with 133 total stops in 2021, when White was nominated for the Broyles Award as one of the top FBS assistant coaches.

White got his start at SJSU as an analyst before spending his last five years as linebackers coach. He added the role of special teams coordinator in 2020. In 2021, the Spartans ranked 10^th nationally in blocked kicks (four) and 13th overall in punt-return defense (3.36 yards per return). White’s time under UCLA alumnus Brent Brennan included trips to the 2020 Arizona Bowl and the 2022 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.

Hired as a quality control coach in 2011 and elevated to linebackers coach and special teams coach in 2015, White helped develop seven linebackers into NFL draft picks during his initial stint with the Bruins. Among them were Jayon Brown and Kenny Young, who helped the 2015 and 2016 teams each give up just 4.9 yards per play. The 2016 group gained 23 turnovers (38^thin nation) and held opponents to a third-down conversion rate of just 34.7% (20^th). Brown was a All-Pac-12 first-team defender that year, accumulating 119 tackles. White was voted Pac-12 Recruiter of the Year by 247 Sports in 2016.

Kendricks was chosen UCLA’s first winner of the Butkus Award and second Lott IMPACT Trophy honoree in 2014. He finished his career with a school-record 481 tackles, totaling 150 (third in program history) in 2012 and 149 (fourth) in 2014. Kendricks’ 2019 season with the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings ended with first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl accolades.

In 2013, Myles Jack became the first winner of both the Pac-12 Freshman Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year awards. The linebacker/running back was also a finalist for the Paul Hornung Award and received Freshman All-America acclaim from Sporting News. Jack, like Kendricks the year prior, was a second-round NFL draft pick in 2016. Anthony Barr was chosen in the 2014 first round, ninth overall by Minnesota, after claiming the Lott IMPACT Trophy and earning consensus All-America status in White’s third season with the Bruins.

As the special teams coach in 2015, White oversaw UCLA’s second Lou Groza Award winner in Ka’imi Fairbairn. Fairbairn became the program’s all-time leading scorer, kicked a school-record 60-yard field goal and was named a consensus All-American as a senior.

White played collegiately at Washington, where he was a multiple-season starter at outside linebacker. Across 45 games (2003-06), he totaled 278 tackles, 38 tackles for loss and 11 sacks for head coaches Keith Gilbertson and Tyrone Willingham. White also logged five interceptions, five forced fumbles and five fumble recoveries.

White was named CIF San Diego Section (SDS) Defensive Player of the Year and San Diego Union-Tribune Defensive Player of the Year in 2001 after compiling 167 total tackles, 11 sacks, one interception, four fumbles recovered and two blocked punts. He also rushed for nearly 1,000 yards and 20 touchdowns on the offensive side of the ball. White helped lead Mission Bay High School to back-to-back CIF SDS Division II championships in 2000 and 2001.

WHITE’S COACHING EXPERIENCE
2007, 2008 – Linebackers Coach, Seattle Preparatory School (Wash.)
2009 – Assistant Coach, Central Washington
2010 – Assistant Coach, Palomar College
2011-14 – Quality Control (Defense/Special Teams), UCLA
2015-17 – Linebackers Coach/Special Teams Coach, UCLA
2018 – Analyst, San Jose State
2019 – Linebackers Coach, San Jose State
2020-23 – Linebackers Coach/Special Teams Coordinator, San Jose State
2024 – Defensive Analyst, UCLA