White leaves stand-up, Vegas to join Sooner staff
White leaves stand-up comedy, Vegas to join OU coaching staff

By Scott Wright

Published: August 23, 2007

NORMAN — David White.

Sounds like a common enough name.

But White, a first-year graduate assistant under Bob Stoops at Oklahoma, is anything but a common football coach.

A former quarterback and tight end at UNLV from 1993-95, White later made his home in Las Vegas, where he was the head football coach at Bishop Gorman High School. And a stand-up comedian.

At Bishop Gorman, White coached running back DeMarco Murray and linebacker Ryan Reynolds, two players who could be among the best the Sooners have this year.

Now, the trio is back together in Norman. Reynolds, Murray and White meet up every other Sunday to have dinner, tell old stories and laugh. A lot.

"We get together and hang out, try to catch up, because we really don't get to see each other that much during the week,” Murray said. "We just have fun, talk about stuff. Just laugh it up.”

"He's real funny,” added Reynolds. "He's pretty serious on the field, but if you catch him away from football, it's a good time.”

White left behind another player who is on the Sooners' radar. Justin Chaisson is only a junior, but at 6-foot-5 and 252 pounds with a 40-yard-dash time in the 4.6-second range, he's drawing attention from several of the nation's top programs.

But enough football. What about the stand-up comedy?

According to those who know him — White isn't currently allowed to speak to the media — comedy wasn't something White had pursued for a long time.

"This town, it's the entertainment capital of the world,” said Dan Dolby, White's former assistant at Bishop Gorman. "David's always been kind of a funny guy. He just had an opportunity. He saw something that he thought he'd be good at and gave it a try and he was pretty successful with it.”

Then, about 10 years ago, White was offered his first head coaching job at a New Mexico high school.

"He knew he wanted to be a football coach and comedy became secondary,” Dolby said.

And his goal was to coach at the college level. That's why no one was surprised when the opportunity at OU came available.

White already had a good relationship with Stoops and his coaching staff through the recruitment of Murray and Reynolds.

"It was a tough decision for him. He agonized over it,” Dolby said. "He had arguably the best high school program in the state, with great kids and a great opportunity to grow. On the other hand, he had an opportunity to go to one of the best college programs in the nation.

"He looked at the long-term and thought that's where he wants to be eventually and he better take advantage of it now.”

Now, his old players are glad to see him around.

"I always knew he was looking to move up and get out of high school and into college football,” Reynolds said. "I was just happy it was here.”

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