I'm high on White for all the same reasons you cite. I think he'd be an excellent hire. But there is one obvious risk with White - no head coaching experience. Not all successful coordinators end up being good head coaches, so lacking HC experience is an undeniable red flag.
With Chesney, he checks the " has HC experience" box and has proven to be a more than capable head coach - 111-46/70% winning percentage. Regardless of the level of competition, that's outstanding. But there is one obvious risk with Chesney - no P5 coaching experience. Not all successful coaches at lower levels of competition succeed when they move up in class, so lacking P5 experience is also an undeniable red flag.
So if JW's choice is btwn White and Chesney, it really comes down to which red flag bothers you less. ADJW is looking for someone to rebuild his program. So do you pick the candidate who is a proven program builder - albeit at a lower level of competition with no experience in big boy football? Or do pick you pick the candidate who displays all the attributes to be a program builder, with the requisite experience and success in big boy football - albeit as a coordinator, not a head coach?
It's a tough call. But if it were my call to make, I think I'd lean towards the proven program builder over the projected program builder.
I think both men are going to be successful P5 head coaches at some point in their careers. The question is, will it be at Syracuse? Cant wait to learn JW's answer.