AUBURN, Ala. – Former Auburn quarterback and current Auburn Sports Network analyst Stan White will be the recipient of the 2022 Starr-Sullivan Achievement Award, the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame announced Monday.
Named in honor of extraordinary Alabamians and fellow quarterbacks Bart Starr and Pat Sullivan, the award recognizes a former college quarterback who exhibits exemplary character and community contributions.
'I was very humbled and privileged to receive this honor," White said. "The Starr and Sullivan names are the epitome of class and character. I'm very honored that they chose me as the recipient for this year."
White's ties to award namesake Pat Sullivan make the honor especially significant, he says. As Auburn's quarterbacks coach under Pat Dye, the 1971 Heisman Trophy winner was White's primary recruiter out of Berry High School in Birmingham.
"Being able to play for him for three years before he left to become the head coach at TCU was a dream come true for me," White said. "Some days, we spent six or eight hours together. I learned a lot from him as a ballplayer, but also how to conduct yourself as a person. I took in everything he had to teach me and learned quite a bit from him.
"The one thing you always heard about Pat Sullivan and Bart Starr – if I've heard it once I've heard it 200 times – 'I was an Auburn fan or I was an Alabama fan, but I was a fan of Pat Sullivan, or I was a fan of Bart Starr,' because of how they carried themselves."
A state champion and first-team All-State selection as a senior, White redshirted at Auburn in 1989 before becoming a four-year starter from 1990-93, setting the program record for 45 consecutive starts.
In 1993, White captained the Tigers to an 11-0 season and No. 4 AP ranking before playing four NFL seasons with the New York Giants.
He joined the Auburn Sports Network in 2001, calling the action with Jim Fyffe, Rod Bramblett and Andy Burcham for 269 consecutive games. White has owned an insurance and financial services agency in Birmingham for 20 years and serves as a volunteer coach at John Carroll Catholic High School, Sullivan's alma mater.
"I call myself a part-time State Farm Insurance agent and a full-time volunteer coach," said White, whose children are in grades eight, six and three. "My kids are only growing up once. One of the greatest things I've heard is, 'One day you'll wake up and there'll be no one left to take to practice.'
"I've enjoyed being around ballparks and helping mentor and coach kids. I'm a Birmingham native and I know the importance of our roles as ex-ballplayers from our schools."
White will be honored at the 54th annual Alabama Sports Hall of Fame banquet and ceremony on May 7, 2022, at the Sheraton Birmingham Hotel. In 2020, former Alabama quarterback Brodie Croyle was honored as the inaugural Starr-Sullivan Achievement Award recipient.
"Both their families are heavily involved with who receives this," White said. "I'm thankful to both of their families for this honor. I couldn't think of two better names that resonate not just in our neck of the woods in Alabama. When you hear those names, all you hear about is class, character and community. I'm very appreciative of it."
Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on Twitter: @jeff_shearer
Auburn's Stan White to receive Starr-Sullivan Achievement Award
