J . T . White John T . " J . T . " White ( July 10 , 1920 – November 21 , 2005 ) was a college football assistant coach , and a second - team 1947 College Football All - American center who played for national championship teams at both the University of Michigan and Ohio State University . White also played basketball for the Ohio State Buckeyes men ' s basketball team . Although White was drafted to play professional football , he chose to pursue a career as an assistant football coach for both the Michigan Wolverines and Penn State Nittany Lions football teams . He served as an assistant coach for a national champion at Michigan and three undefeated and untied seasons at Penn State . White served in the United States Army during World War II causing a break in his collegiate education . Personal . White was born in Wadley , Georgia and raised in River Rouge , Michigan . White earned his bachelor ' s degree in education from Michigan in 1948 . He earned his master ' s degree in education at Michigan . White married the former Verna McQueen , and they had one son , Brian . Verna and White were married for 53 years before she died at 75 in October 1997 of emphysema . Athletic career . At River Rouge High School he played baseball , basketball and football before attending Ohio State . In 1942 , he lettered in both basketball and football at Ohio State as a sophomore . He was a player for national champions on both the 1942 Ohio State Buckeyes football team and the 1947 Michigan Wolverines football team . He is one of only three players ( along with Justin Boren and Howard Yerges ) to have played for the football teams of both Michigan and Ohio State ; this low number can be attributed to the strong rivalry between the two schools . White matriculated at The Ohio State University , where he earned a varsity letter playing for Paul Brown ' s 1942 team . White played at Ohio State for two years . He served in the United States Army from 1943 – 45 during World War II and lettered two years for Fritz Crisler ' s Michigan teams . His younger brother , Paul was captain at Michigan when White transferred . J . T . was the starting center for the 1946 and 1947 teams . The Football Writers Association of America named him as their second - team All - American center for the 1947 college football season . White played in the 1948 College All - Star Game , and he was drafted by two pro teams : the Detroit Lions with the first pick of the 21st round ( 186th overall ) in the 1947 NFL Draft and the Brooklyn Dodgers of the All - America Football Conference . Coaching career . He chose to join Bennie Oosterbaan ' s Michigan coaching staff for six years ( 1948 – 53 ) , including the national champion 1948 Michigan Wolverines football team . Then , for 26 seasons , from 1954 through 1979 , J . T . was a defensive line coach at Penn State , first under Rip Engle and then under Joe Paterno , who took over in 1966 . When White moved to Penn State to work for Engle , the staff included Paterno , Earle Bruce , Sever Toretti , Jim O ' Hora and Jim Patrick . His tenure on the staff included three undefeated and untied seasons ( 1968 , 1969 and 1973 ) . Subsequently , from 1980 – 1982 , he served as assistant to the Penn State Athletic Director .