This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Logan • Robert Turbin didn't feel like he had many allies.

Utah State's junior running back had just taken a handoff and tried to turn the corner on Colorado State. When he was driven out of bounds, short of the goal line and the two-point conversion that would have given USU a double-overtime win over the Rams, a sea of green jerseys danced over him in celebration.

Turbin picked himself up. He began the slow journey across the field to his sideline. When he did, Emmett White came up from behind, put his arms around Turbin and offered the words of encouragement that would go a long way toward cheering him up.

"He was the first person to get to me," Turbin said. "He told me that the entire game didn't come down to one play, and he told me to keep my head up. It meant a lot. I felt bad at the time."

Turbin and White are two of the best running backs in Utah State history, a decade apart from each other. They are also close friends, a relationship born out of how much they had in common during their time in Logan.

The two speak regularly, about football, school, life and the future. When Turbin met White, in his redshirt freshman season, he saw a guy who had already accomplished the goals that he set when he came to Logan in 2007.

As Turbin's career has blossomed, White saw a lot of himself in the running back who seems destined to play in the NFL sooner rather than later. White set records; Turbin is chasing records. White went through tough times and losing situations. Turbin went through the same thing.

The difference is that Turbin has finally broken through, gaining almost 1,500 yards for a team that won seven regular-season games and will face Ohio on Saturday in the Potato Bowl.

"I knew Robert before he blew up," White said. "I got to know what kind of person he is. He's a great dude, and it's been a privilege for me to work with the caliber of athlete and person that he is. I mean, he's not even worried about getting 100 yards in a game. All he wants to do is win. It's been great to know him."

White, following a superstar career at Ben Lomond High in Ogden, arrived at Utah State in 1998. By the time he was finished as an Aggie, he had set the NCAA record for all-purpose yards in a single game, gaining 578 against New Mexico State in 2000. He is fifth in school history in career TDs, sixth in career rushing yards, eighth in points scored and seventh in single-season rushing yards.

All of this was accomplished without the benefit of anterior cruciate ligaments. No, they weren't torn. They simply weren't there. In a condition extremely rare, White was born without them. Which meant that while he was a beast at the collegiate level, a professional career in the NFL was out of the question.

"There was no way I could pass a physical with knees that loose," said White, now a youth football coach.

Still, with his speed, his cutback ability, his vision and his ability to explode in the open field, White was a challenge to defend while he was in Logan. White was a third team All-American in 2000. He became the first USU player to have 100 yards receiving and 100 yards rushing in the same game.

He did this without much of an offensive cast around him and with teams keying on his every move.

"I coached against him," Utah State coach Gary Andersen said. "Trust me, it was a challenge. Emmett White was a great player here and an even better person. Both of those guys have a friendship because they have a high level of respect for one another. Robert has learned from Emmett, and it's fun to watch him compete for some of the records that Emmett set."

It helped that White knew exactly what Turbin was going through in the trying times. When Turbin tore up his knee, White was there, offering support, telling him to keep a positive outlook on things, prodding him to ignore the naysayers who predicted that Turbin would never be the same running back.

When USU lost five of its first seven games this year White was there, promising better things to come. He let Turbin and his teammates know that the talent was still there to have a successful season.

That explains the long embrace between Turbin and White on the Romney Stadium turf in the moments after Utah State defeated Nevada to become bowl eligible. The two had come a long way since that first meeting in 2008, when Turbin didn't quite know what to expect from his career.

For Turbin, his mentor and de facto big brother was there to share the good times, after he had offered support in so many of the difficult times.

For White, who still refers to the Aggies as "we," he was going bowling as well. When asked if he would make the trek to Boise to see Utah State on Saturday, White answered, "Of course." —

Robert Turbin and Emmett White

The two met in 2008, when Turbin was a redshirt freshman.

White says he wanted to help Turbin because he had mentors, such as San Fransisco 49ers star Roger Craig.

Turbin and White talk about twice a week.

White is in the top 10 of five Utah State career rushing categories.

Turbin needs one rushing touchdown Saturday to set the career mark.

Turbin already holds the Utah State career total touchdown record, while White is fifth. Emmett White on mentoring Robert Turbin:

"I had people do it for me when I was in school. This was a way to give back. My friendship with Robert grew from there."

Turbin on White:

"He was fast and explosive. We had a few similarities in our running styles."