White and Donaldson Article

[Captain Kangaroo]

Former Tygers help drive Zips to Motor City

By Larry Phillips

News Journal

MANSFIELD -- As high school juniors, Brian White and Mike Donaldson were key contributors to the first Mansfield Senior football team to win a playoff game.

As seniors, they spearheaded an Ohio Heartland Conference championship team that became the first in school history to reach the playoffs in back-to-back years.

It only stands to reason they would make history in college, too. Donaldson, a redshirt junior, and White, a senior, are both starters for the first University of Akron football team to win a Mid-American Conference championship and qualify for a bowl game.

On Dec. 1 in Detroit, the Zips beat Northern Illinois 31-30 with a thrilling, last-minute TD drive on national television.

"When we got fitted for our (championship) rings, I think that's when winning that game sank in," said Donaldson, who was part of a stalwart offensive line that allowed just 18 sacks this year.

Both former Tygers overcame a series of injuries to play crucial roles during the championship season. It was well worth it when the Zips earned the automatic bid into Monday's nationally-televised Motor City Bowl against Memphis.

"(The MAC championship game) embodied our season, it was up and down. It was just a heckuva game, especially the finish," said White, who plays a number of spots along the defensive line. "We've taken time to celebrate it. Now we're not just going to a bowl game, we're going there to win it."

Donaldson is a 6-foot-5, 280-pound left guard who has lost 50 pounds over the last two years. He's also overcome a number of foot injuries, including a broken bone, that have kept him out of the lineup for huge chunks of the past two seasons.

"I never thought about (quitting)," Donaldson said. "Injuries are just part of the game."

The burly lineman has another year left and hopes to improve more next season.

For White, Monday will be his last collegiate game. A linebacker in high school, plans called for him to redshirt his first year, too. But when injuries decimated the Zips defensive line in 2002, then-coach Lee Owens moved White onto a special teams unit and played him as a backup on the defensive line.

He started six games as a sophomore before being sidelined by a sprained ankle. It took him four games to impress a new coaching staff as a junior, but he started the final seven games last year.

This season, although a bit undersized at 6-2, 265, he's been playing at tackle and end, earned the Captain's Award as chosen by the coaches, was in on 56 tackles, and was a leader for a 7-5 squad that was 6-3 in the MAC.

"We got close last year, and then lost some big players like Charlie (Frye)," said White, an All-MAC Academic pick. "This is really a statement game for us and for the MAC.

"We want to represent ourselves and our conference and come back with a win."

Donaldson agreed, adding the Zips began two-a-day practices this week in preparation for the bowl game.

"People always remember your last game," Donaldson said. "We've been riding the wave a little bit. Now we have to get back to business."