SMU castoff leads team in football title game at Frisco

by **smupony94** » Thu Jan 06, 2011 10:54 am

Good luck BLM

SMU castoff leads team in football title game at Frisco

FCS TITLE GAME Eastern Washington (12-2) vs. Delaware (12-2), 6 p.m. Friday, Pizza Hut Park, Frisco (ESPN2)

Former SMU quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell has thrown for 3,194 yards for Eastern Washington this season, and his 34 touchdown passes tied a school record.

A season ago he was at SMU and fading fast in coach June Jones' quarterback derby, an injured starter in danger of losing his job and becoming a faceless backup.

Mitchell had taken a beating and endured a 1-11 season in 2008. His shoulder injury in 2009 put then-freshman Kyle Padron in charge â€“ and changed Mitchell's football path.

Friday night, he returns to play for the Football Championship Subdivision national championship when the Eagles face Delaware at Pizza Hut Park.

Circles don't come much fuller than that.

"I look back at it, and I'm not a bitter person," Mitchell said before taking his place front and center in the camera's frame. "I understand what happened, I have no hard feelings with it. I loved it when I was at SMU, but I'm glad I'm here."

Mitchell transferred last January to Eastern Washington, which had recruited him at Katy High School. He had visited the Cheney, Wash., school, before committing to SMU, but after two college seasons recalled little about the Eagles except for the red home field they call "The Inferno."

Mitchell's cosmic journey took another twist when the NCAA moved the FCS title game to Texas after a 13-year run in Chattanooga, Tenn. When Eagles coach Beau Baldwin told him of the switch, Mitchell was so excited he made a prediction even before he won the starting job.

"I told him we're not stopping until we get there. We're going to get to that game. I'm going to make sure of it," Mitchell said.

He backed up his end with 3,194 yards passing this season, fifth-highest in the country among FCS quarterbacks. His 34 touchdown passes tied a school record.

"The thing about Bo is he's hungry to keep getting better," Baldwin said.

"The thing you want to gear against is making sure he's not too excited about being back in his home state, trying in a sense to do too much. I'm confident that as the season has gone along, he's shown an ability to play each snap as it comes."

Mitchell credited being tutored in two quarterback styles for his big junior season. Jones taught him the gunslinger's mentality of not being afraid to make big throws anywhere on the field.

Baldwin and quarterbacks coach Zak Hill brought a softer touch. Both were college quarterbacks at Central Washington. Baldwin was the backup to Jon Kitna and remains a good friend of the Cowboys quarterback.

"They're natural football players," Mitchell said of his coaches. "They weren't the biggest guys when they played, they didn't have the strongest arms, but they're smart, they know how to play football."

Mitchell started 19 games at SMU and threw for 4,590 and 36 touchdowns, but he suffered an injury to his nonthrowing shoulder and was replaced by Padron, who went 5-1 and was MVP of the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl.

He still talks with Jones, who might call to offer congratulations on a game, and doesn't fault his former coach.

"If you put any coach in that situation, they've got to make the same decision," Mitchell said. "When the kid comes in, he wins five out of six games, he's playing well. You let him play, let him get the experience. He played well, so why not just keep going with it?"

Mitchell was often asked why he didn't stay at SMU and reclaim his job. Upon transferring, he found himself in a six-player competition to be the Eagles' starter.

"I'm a realistic guy," he said. "I could have wasted another year trying to do that. Or I could go somewhere, win the job here, have fun and keep playing football."

And play for a national title.

by **ponyboy** » Thu Jan 06, 2011 11:17 am

Great story. Go get 'em Bo!

by **Harry0569** » Thu Jan 06, 2011 11:17 am

I hope Bo can bring in some hardware for the Red Turfs.

by **Cadillac** » Thu Jan 06, 2011 11:53 am

to be fair, he's not a castoff, he's a walk-away.

-CoS

by **smupony94** » Thu Jan 06, 2011 11:56 am

Cadillac wrote:to be fair, he's not a castoff, he's a walk-away.

-CoS

Terrance Goneaway?

by **PonySnob** » Thu Jan 06, 2011 12:26 pm

How many interceptions for the Gunslinger this year?

by **smupony94** » Thu Jan 06, 2011 12:28 pm

PASSING GP-GS Effic Cmp- Att- Int Pct Yds TD Lng Avg/G
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Bo Levi Mitchell 14-13 134.96 271- 462- 14 58.7 3194 34 82 228.1

by **SMUfiji43** » Thu Jan 06, 2011 1:05 pm

Go Delaware!! Pat Devlin is the only real QB on that field. NFL sleeper

by **One Trick Pony** » Thu Jan 06, 2011 2:57 pm

D2 FCS = zzzzzzz
Good to see he's having a good time. But I wanted him to stay . He would have played more.
He quit so I say goodbye.

by **b_caesar** » Thu Jan 06, 2011 9:04 pm

At least he's still wearing red.

by **mrydel** » Thu Jan 06, 2011 9:15 pm

He will wear red, but what will Dela ware?

by **smupony94** » Thu Jan 06, 2011 9:17 pm

mrydel wrote:He will wear red, but what will Dela Ware?

Made the list

by **b_caesar** » Thu Jan 06, 2011 9:21 pm

smupony94 wrote:
mrydel wrote:He will wear red, but what will Dela Ware?

Made the list

That list?

by **Dutch** » Thu Jan 06, 2011 9:23 pm

what if he wears black?

BLM is a quitter. moving on....

by **horseshoe hilltop** » Fri Jan 07, 2011 1:40 am

Go Delaware. They will win by double digits.