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It was announced on Friday that former Charles Henderson High School star linebacker Jawara White has been hired as defensive coordinator at WS Neal.

White will coach under his former high school coach, Hugh Fountain, at WS Neal. White was 2008 Class 5A All-State honorable mention and also played in the 2009 Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Football Game. He finished his senior season with the Trojans with 67 tackles, 17 tackles-for-loss, one interception and two fumble recoveries returned for a touchdown. The 6-foot-2-inch, 225-pound athlete also scored three rushing two touchdowns and two receiving touchdowns as a senior.

Following his stellar college career, White earned a scholarship at Auburn University where he played for Gene Chizik. As a redshirt freshman, the Troy native played in 13 games and recorded 23 tackles and 2.5 tackles-for-loss in 2011. Going into the 2012 season, though, White suffered a serious neck injury. This was the second time that an injury to his neck would derail his career.

Going into his freshman season, doctors found fluid on White’s spinal cord leading to neck surgery. He suffered another neck injury during spring practices in 2012 and going into the fall, doctors urged White to retire from the game.

White went on to earn his bachelor’s degree in public administration from Auburn. He started his coaching career as linebackers coach and assistant track coach at Charles Henderson in 2015, but returned to Auburn in 2017 as admissions advisor with the university. He then became Director of Admissions at Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine in Auburn in 2021, as well.