Chris White enters his 3rd season with the Vikings after spending 16 years coaching at the collegiate level. He will assist new special teams coordinator Mike Priefer in 2011.
The Vikings 2010 special teams units had several standouts. Kicker Ryan Longwell led the NFL in field goal percentage (94.4%), converting on 17-of-18 FG attempts. It was the highest mark of his career and the 2nd-consecutive season that he finished with a percentage over 90. Punter Chris Kluwe ranked 10th in the NFL in net punting and earned Special Teams MVP as voted by his teammates. Percy Harvin continued his torrid pace, returning his 3rd kickoff return for a TD in 2010, extending his own team mark for career KO return TDs and matching David Palmer for career combined special teams return TDs with 3- Palmer scored twice via punt return and once on a KO. Harvin now owns 3 of the 9 longest KO returns in Vikings history in only 2 seasons.
Chris White enters his 3rd season with the Vikings after spending 16 years coaching at the collegiate level. He will assist new special teams coordinator Mike Priefer in 2011.
The Vikings 2010 special teams units had several standouts. Kicker Ryan Longwell led the NFL in field goal percentage (94.4%), converting on 17-of-18 FG attempts. It was the highest mark of his career and the 2nd-consecutive season that he finished with a percentage over 90. Punter Chris Kluwe ranked 10th in the NFL in net punting and earned Special Teams MVP as voted by his teammates. Percy Harvin continued his torrid pace, returning his 3rd kickoff return for a TD in 2010, extending his own team mark for career KO return TDs and matching David Palmer for career combined special teams return TDs with 3- Palmer scored twice via punt return and once on a KO. Harvin now owns 3 of the 9 longest KO returns in Vikings history in only 2 seasons.
After joining the Vikings in 2009, White helped oversee a special teams unit that sent a pair of members to the Pro Bowl and made an impact on the Vikings record book along the way. The Vikings special teams were instrumental in the team winning a 2nd consecutive NFC North title and winning 12 games in the regular season, tied for the 2nd-best total in Vikings history.
The 2009 special teams were represented at the Pro Bowl by cover man Heath Farwell and Harvin. That tandem led the unit all season and were joined by savvy vets and emerging playmakers to give the Vikings a strong foundation for the future. Longwell enjoyed one of his best seasons, scoring a career-high 132 points and hitting 26-of-28 FGs. Harvin set a Vikings record by returning a pair of kickoff returns for TDs during the season, including a 101-yarder that tied the 2nd-longest in Vikings history. The coverage units were led by Farwell and 1st-year LB Kenny Onatolu, who was pulled from the Canadian Football League and made a smooth transition to the NFL.
White joined the Vikings after a 9-year stint at Syracuse University where, at different times throughout his tenure, he coached WRs, TEs, was the special teams’ coordinator and the recruiting coordinator. White’s 9 seasons at Syracuse were highlighted by a 2001 Insight Bowl victory, a share of the Big East championship in 2004, and a combined 7 units that ranked in the nation’s top 20 while working as the school’s special teams coordinator from 2000-2003.
White served as the Orange’s WRs coach as well as their recruiting coordinator, a post he moved to prior to the 2005 season. White worked to bring in young talent and rebuild Syracuse’s program. His efforts showed as 5 different underclassmen WRs caught TD passes for the Orange in 2008, with sophomore WR Donte Davis leading the team in catches and yards, and tied for the lead in TD receptions. Prior to moving on to the WRs coach/recruiting coordinator position, White spent the 2004 season coaching the team’s TEs to go along with his duties as recruiting coordinator. While he guided former New York Jets TE Joe Kowalewski, the 2004 Orange went on to capture a share of the Big East crown and a victory in Champs Sports Bowl.
White spent his opening 3 years at Syracuse working with the TEs and as the special teams’ coordinator. From the start of the 2000 season until he left his post as special teams coordinator in 2003, only 7 teams in the country blocked more kicks than the Orange (22), 5 coming from future NY Giants Super Bowl hero David Tyree. Syracuse also scored 8 TDs on special teams during the same time frame. In 2000, the team ranked 13th and 14th in kickoff return yardage and kickoff return yardage allowed, respectively. The following season the Orange had their best overall finish since 1992, complete with a victory in the Insight Bowl, aided by the 18th ranked punt return unit in the nation. In 2002, White led the nation’s top punt coverage unit, while his punter ranked 7th in yardage and his punt returners ranked 20th in return yards. The 2003 campaign ended with both his kicker and punter being named to the All-Big East 2nd team.
In 1999, White served a dual-role as Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo’s defensive and special teams’ coordinators, where he helped a number of his players into the school’s record books. DB Vaugh Jarrett, a freshman at the time, went on to record the 5th-most INTs in Mustang history, while DE Steve Prejean, then a junior, finished the season ranked 12th all time in school annals with 8.0 sacks that season and LB Brett Baker posted the 11th best single-season mark with 98 tackles. White’s kicker that season, Sal Rivas, finished the season with the school’s 2nd-best field goal percentage.
White spent the 3 seasons prior to his arrival with the Mustangs with UNLV as the LBs coach and special teams’ coordinator. The lone head coaching job of White’s career came as a 3-year stint with Bishop Manogue High School from 1994-1996, where he was named the Northern Nevada Coach of the Year in 1996.
White’s 1st full-time role in coaching came as the assistant QBs coach for the College of the Holy Cross (Mass.) from 1993-1994. In his 2 years at that post both of the Crusaders starters ended their respective seasons with QB efficiency ratings over 100.0, and in 1993 Dave Harrington wrote himself into the school’s record book with the 10th best single-season completion percentage.
White paid his dues in the coaching world working for 5 seasons as a graduate assistant, for 3 years at Syracuse (1990-92) and then with Arkansas State (1992-1993). In his 2 seasons with Arkansas State, he saw former Vikings punter, Kyle Richardson, secure 2nd place in school history with 3,285 punting yards in the 1993 season. In the same season, the Red Wolves also had the 4th best mark in school history with 14 FGs made.
In his 1st stint at Syracuse, White worked with current Vikings QB coach, Kevin Rogers, and under current Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator, Paul Pasqualoni. The team posted a 27-8 record in the three years and won the 1990 Aloha Bowl and 1991 Hall of Fame Bowl.
As a collegian, White was a 4-year starter at QB for Colby College and was named a captain his senior year. The Mules won consecutive CBB championships in his final 3 seasons.
White grew up in Haverhill, MA and graduated from Philips Exeter Academy in 1986. He majored in government while at Colby College. His brother, Brian, is the RBs coach for the University of Florida. He and his wife, Angel, reside in the Minneapolis area with their daughters, Payton and Riley.
