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Today's Preparation Determines Tomorrow's Achievement
A three-time OSU Scholar-Athlete and a standout individual who excels both on the football field and in the classroom, senior free safety
Brandon Mitchell has a lot in which he can be proud. He recently graduated with a bachelor's of arts in communication and now is pursuing a graduate degree in communication while continuing to contribute for the Buckeyes.
Mitchell takes different lessons he learns on the football field and applies them to his studies on the field, in the video room and in the classroom. His work ethic does not go unnoticed by his teammates.
"
Brandon Mitchell impresses me the most on defense,"
Anthony Gonzalez, junior wide receiver, said. "He lives the student-athlete experience the best you can. He takes care of academics and athletics and he is a good person."
Mitchell is aware of the praise from his teammates, like Gonzalez, but said he has to work just as hard as everyone else.
"People think I'm just smart, but I think I have a good memory and that comes, in part, because of football," Mitchell said. "I've had to learn so many things through football, it has kind of trained my mind to be able to look at things and remember them very easily."
Mitchell, who is from Georgia, was recruited heavily by schools near his hometown of Atlanta. Georgia, Georgia Tech, Auburn, Clemson and South Carolina all gave him a look, but he wanted to go to school somewhere in a large metropolitan area.
"Most of the bigger schools down south - Georgia, Clemson and Auburn - are in smaller cities," he said. "I narrowed my choices down to Georgia Tech and Ohio State and chose to come here because I wanted to get away from home."
Playing both wide receiver and defensive back in high school, Mitchell also was the state champion in track in the 400-meter dash his junior year. He had an important decision to make when he came to Ohio State. Would he play wide receiver or safety?
"I would say I play safety better, so obviously I like that position better," Mitchell said. "I like it better because I'd rather be the hammer than the nail. I'd rather be the guy that's hitting someone than the one that's getting hit."
Former Buckeye
Will Allen, who currently plays defensive back for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, was one of the best influences Mitchell had when he came to Ohio State.
"We roomed together at camp when I came my freshman year in 2002," Mitchell said. "He always kind of mentored me. I still talk to him and he even stayed with me this summer while he was working out up here."
Mel Tucker, who coached the Buckeye defensive backs when Mitchell first arrived at Ohio State, also was a big help to Mitchell's development, helping him learn the ins and outs of the position. Tucker also taught him how to be a leader. Former Buckeyes' assistant coach
Mark Snyder, now the head coach at Marshall, may have lit a fire in Mitchell to help make him the player he is today.
Snyder told him some players make plays and some players do not. Then Snyder asked him, "Which one are you?"
Mitchell uses Snyder's words any time he needs motivation.
Many people would be led to say the middle linebacker is the leader of the defense, but Mitchell, as one of the veterans on the defensive side of the ball, also will be looked upon to be one of the vocal leaders of a young Buckeyes defense in 2006.
Playing safety at Ohio State is not easy and it requires spending a lot of time watching film and studying opponents, while also having to know more than 100 different defensive plays. Mitchell watches at least four hours of film every week preparing for the next opponent. The 6-foot-3-inch, 205-pounder said the hardest part about playing safety is if you make a mistake, it is a touchdown, but the lengthy preparation is what makes him a knowledgeable leader on the field.
"You have to know the receivers, know their favorite routes and that comes from watching film and doing overall studying," Mitchell said. "You have to know the quarterback. Obviously, if the quarterback is coming back from the year before, you have a little bit of an advantage than you do with new quarterbacks. I'm fortunate to have friends that play on other teams and I call them if they've played against a team we are playing and ask how the quarterback is to see if he's better at certain things than others and I also ask about the receivers. I think it's really a lot of research that prepares you for the game. You have to be in shape and everything, but a free safety is very good if he knows his opponent inside and out."
Mitchell has had to defend against many great receivers throughout his career including former Big Ten standouts Braylon Edwards (Michigan) and Courtney Roby (Indiana) and current Michigan wide receiver Steve Breaston. But for him, the toughest wide receiver to defend is "the one that runs the best route."
"I don't think receivers come in any shape, form or fashion because a bigger receiver who runs with power is very hard to tackle and a little receiver that is quick is equally as hard to tackle," Mitchell said.
The Mays High School product will be playing his final home games as a Buckeye this season. A field that once graced the feet of legendary players such as Archie Griffin and Jack Tatum is something not just for fans to experience, but also for the players who currently don the scarlet and gray.
"It's amazing," Mitchell said. "When you run out of that tunnel, you don't feel your feet. You come out in front of 105,000 fans every weekend; it's incredible. It's a rush every time. I've done it 20 or 30 times, but every time is like the first time. I've never experienced anything like it in my life."
When the senior ends his playing career at Ohio State, he hopes to leave a lasting mark on the university and the people of the Ohio State community.
"I hope people remember me as a great player, a great student of the game and just a great person," Mitchell said. "Everyone wants to make it to the NFL, but I want to be remembered as someone who played hard for the Buckeyes and someone who was great to the fans on and off the field."
