Senior Chris Mitchell Provides Inspiration to his Teammates and Community
The big brother. The good friend. The leader.
A favorite among his teammates and coaches, senior Chris Mitchell has played in a reserve role this season, but that hasn’t stopped him from leaving a mark on the LSU football program.
Ever since he began his tenure as an LSU Tiger, the Marrero, La. native has remained under the radar with his down-to-earth personality and good humor, playing behind Tiger greats like Dwayne Bowe, Early Doucet and current LSU wide receiver Brandon Lafell.
Although he is not a regular starter, Mitchell’s shining moment came during his junior season in 2008 against Auburn when his roommate, quarterback Jarrett Lee, threw a 39-yard bomb that he ran in for his first career touchdown.
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The touchdown sparked a comeback that would later turn into the Tigers’ first SEC victory of the season and a No. 5 national ranking.
The team knew that it was his game to show what he was capable of accomplishing.
The humble senior uses his opportunities on and off the field to mentor the younger, more inexperienced players.
“If someone doesn’t know exactly what to do on a particular play, I’ll tell them what they did wrong and help them fix it,” Mitchell said.
“I’m always willing to help other people. I feel like I play the big brother role.”
LSU junior defensive lineman Drake Nevis played high school ball with Mitchell, and the two have remained good friends. When the duo goes home to Marrero, La., they visit with elementary school students and speak to them about the importance of responsibility and sportsmanship. The two have become the ?big brothers’ to these young students.
Mitchell also keeps close ties with his hometown community by continuing a special relationship with his little league football and baseball coach, Reginald Cooper. Cooper is paralyzed from the waist down, and Mitchell visits him often.
“Mr. Reginald is a mentor and a friend to me. Whenever I have a situation I need help with, I can go and talk to him about it,” Mitchell explained.
When the 6-0 wide receiver is able to pay his favorite coach a visit, he helps Cooper around the house with day-to-day routines, and the pair’s favorite hobby is to watch movies together.
Not only has Mitchell learned how to be a leader on his own, but he was instilled with an incredible work ethic at an early age by his mother, Carolyn.
“Coming from a single-parent household with six brothers and sisters, my mom did everything for us. She went about everything structured the way I do,” Mitchell said. “She went to work every day whether she felt like it or not.
“She taught us that us life has its ups and downs and everything won’t be good all the time. You have to take it one day at a time and go from there.”
LSU cornerback Jai Eugene says that Mitchell is an inspiration, not only to the younger players but also to the polished, experienced players as well.
“He’s a funny guy,” Eugene said with a smile. “He works hard and is a heck of a blocker. Every time he comes to the sidelines he’s got a story to tell on how he did this or how he did that.
“He’s definitely turned out to be the great player and person I thought he would be.”
From his words of wisdom to his teammates to his service to his family and hometown heroes, Mitchell has made his role on the LSU football team irreplaceable.
“He’s a leader on and off the field,” Nevis said proudly.