NEW — 11:30 a.m. Nov. 25, 2015
On Oct. 24, when Oregon State University quarterback Nick Mitchell stepped onto the field for the first time in a game against Colorado, his first snap came from a teammate he’s known his entire life – his older brother Josh.
“I don’t know if it’s ever been done at the NCAA Division I level,” Mount Si High School head coach Charlie Kinnune said of the rare sibling pair.
OSU records say the Mitchell brothers are the first such quarterback-center combo.
“It’s allowed their relationship to mature as siblings,” said their father, Jeff Mitchell. “It feels good to see them getting along and enjoying one another.”
Four Mitchell boys have played in the Mount Si football program. The youngest, Caleb, just finished his senior season with the Wildcats, playing wide receiver and defensive back.
Nick Mitchell, who played quarterback for Mount Si before graduating in 2014, went on to redshirt his freshman year for the Beavers. Josh joined the team two years earlier, when he was one of only five true freshman to earn playing time his first season.
The eldest Mitchell brother, Taylor, currently plays linebacker for Humboldt State University in California.
“We’re excited that they all got to have that experience,” Jeff said of the boys’ time playing for Mount Si.
Nick’s time as a Wildcat was very successful. He was named the Class 3A KingCo Conference Offensive Player of the Year in 2013.
“He can run, he can throw, he can think,” Kinnune said. “He’s mentally tough, physically tough, so he’s got a lot of real good things going on. And he’s going to need those things going on right now playing in an extremely tough conference, the Pac-12, and he’s going to have to draw on his mental toughness, for sure.”
So far it’s been a challenging season for Oregon State, which has a record of 2-9. Nick has played in the last five games, all losses, the most recent of which was a 52-7 beating against Washington on Nov. 21.
“He’s had good times and he’s had tough times,” Kinnune said. “He’s going to have to continue to draw on his mental toughness, and that’s one of his strengths. He knows that, as quarterback, he’s the leader of that offense, and he has to exude confidence and toughness, and he will continue to do that.”
Jeff Mitchell has been pleased with the way his son has dealt with the challenges of a losing record.
“As a young quarterback you’re going to have lots of adversity,” he said. “That’s the biggest thing that I’ve been impressed with, who he is as a person. He’s kept a good perspective and a very calm and poised demeanor.”
Jeff said that while he and his wife Rhonda are thrilled to watch any of their children excel on the field, it’s the people they are off the field that matters most. Jeff said the way Nick has kept his head lets him know that his son is on the right path.
“Those are things that matter because football will be done in a few more years, but who he is as a person is going to continue on,” he said.
The Mitchells have been deeply involved with Wildcats football for nearly a decade. Jeff is the program’s booster club president.
“He’s really incited a lot of togetherness,” Kinnune said of Jeff Mitchell’s contribution to the team. “He’s been a real uniting factor. In a nutshell, the Mitchells have united us.”
It’s the end of an era with Caleb completing his final football season. The Mitchell’s run lasted through four players across eight years.
“It’s difficult to believe our little time is done,” Jeff said. “It seems like it was just yesterday that our boys were getting going playing football.”
He said that might make their family travel plans a bit easier, and since they will have Friday nights free, they won’t have to leave so early on Saturdays to go watch their boys play college games.
“We are grateful to this community; it has been a fantastic place,” Jeff said. “Coach Kinnune and his program had an incredible impact not only on our family but a lot of other families.”
Kinnune said the same thing about the Mitchells.
“We’re very lucky that the Mitchells chose this community to live in,” he said. “And they didn’t just choose the community to live in, they chose to be vital in their community and they chose to be involved. That’s a philosophy that runs through the family starting with Jeff and Rhonda. They’ve always rolled up their sleeves and helped us out.”
Now Nick and Josh get to continue their long legacy together as a football family.
“They’re a family of significance,” Kinnune said. “And it’s not just their rare physical ability but their ability to serve others. I feel great to be on the same team as they are.”
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