LORMAN, Miss. — Entering his fifth season with the Alcorn State football program, former WVU offensive lineman Ryan Stanchek was promoted to offensive coordinator, announced April 16 by head coach Fred McNair.
In addition, former teammate and Mountaineers’ quarterback Pat White is set to join Stanchek on the Braves’ staff as his quarterbacks coach. An official announcement on White’s hire is expected this week.
Stanchek and White played at WVU from 2004-’08, winning four bowl games together, including the 2006 Sugar Bowl and 2008 Fiesta Bowl.
Stanchek spent his first three years at Alcorn as the offensive line coach before being promoted to run game coordinator after the 2016 season. The Braves won the SWAC East Division all four years he’s coached at Alcorn.
“My family and I are very excited to enter our fifth season representing Alcorn football. I am thankful to coach McNair for entrusting me with this added responsibility. Coach McNair is a man of tremendous integrity and I am blessed to be a part of his staff,” Stanchek said.
Under Stanchek, the Braves have placed offensive linemen on the SWAC all-conference teams nine times in four years.
As run game coordinator in 2017, the Braves led the FCS in yards per carry (6.42) and were top-10 in both rushing offense (237.4) and total offense (461.3 ypg). Alcorn led the SWAC in all three categories as the offensive line blocked for De’Lance Turner who broke the school’s single-season rushing record with 1,357 yards. That mark was also the second-most in the nation.
“Coach Stanchek has done a tremendous job, not only with our offensive line and protection, but also with our run game. It’s not a coincidence that we have numerous offensive linemen and running backs earn postseason honors every year including HBCU all-Americans,” McNair said. “I feel good about the direction we’re headed and our offense showed a lot of upside this spring.”
Prior to Alcorn, Stanchek served as an offensive graduate assistant at Indiana, from 2011-’13, and as offensive quality control at Florida State, in 2010.
He started 48-straight games on the offensive line at WVU and earned Football Writers Association all-America honors, in 2007. He was also awarded the Red Brown Cup at WVU, which went to the school’s Male Student-Athlete of the Year based on athletic, academic and civil achievement.
In 2009, Stanchek signed as a free agent with the Atlanta Falcons. He went on to play in the Arena Football League for the Cleveland Gladiators in 2010.
White is one of the most decorated players in WVU history — second in total yards from scrimmage, with 10,529, and rushing yards, with 4,480. He also combined for 107 touchdowns in his career (56 passing and 47 rushing).
After a brief stint in the NFL, with the Miami Dolphins and Washington Redskins, this is White’s first job in coaching.