Senior Feature -- Shirdonya Mitchell
10/6/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 6, 2004
Editor's Note: This feature ran in the Oct. 2 edition of the Mizzou football gameday program.
by Joel Erickson
Getting from point A to point B is an important aspect of life for every human being, but most people are just content to make it to their destination on time. For a football player, it's not enough to simply make it there. He has to make it to his objective as fast as possible. The Missouri Tigers have a lot of speed on this year's team, but nobody gets to point B as fast as senior cornerback Shirdonya Mitchell.
During spring practice Mitchell set a team record in the 40-yard dash, blazing over the distance in an unbelievable time of 4.28 seconds. Some players have trouble transferring their stopwatch speed into game speed, but it's never been a problem for Mitchell.
"My speed is very important," Mitchell said. "It allows me to make quick reactions, to get to the spot where the runner will be and make the tackle, and it means that maybe I can jump a receiver's route early."
His speed has also been instrumental in the development of his role on the team since he began his career at Mizzou in 2000.
Mitchell arrived in Columbia after a stellar career at Sam Houston High School in Arlington, Texas, where his skill at wide receiver led the Associated Press to name him to the Class 5A All-State team. After a year on the Missouri scout team, Mitchell worked his way onto the field as a slot receiver, catching six passes for 38 yards during the 2001 season. He seemed to be on the way to a starting job with the Tigers' offense, but after a sophomore season in which he only caught two passes, Mitchell decided it was time for a change.
"I felt that I wanted to do something different, something that would get me a little more playing time," Mitchell said.
To make sure that he got on the field, he switched from wideout to corner; from catching passes to knocking them out of the air. The move paid off, as he played extensively in Mizzou's nickel and dime packages, and made the first start of his career against Texas Tech on Oct. 25, 2003.
Asked to compare the two positions, Mitchell says that it's almost impossible.
"The mindset is so different. On defense your mind has to be focused on hitting and tackling, while as a receiver you try to avoid tackles as much as possible," Mitchell said.
As a senior, Mitchell has established himself at the cornerback position, leading the team in passes broken up after three games, as well as an interception on the first play of the game against Troy.
Mitchell still gets to carry the ball on a regular basis as the team's primary kick returner, a job he's held since his sophomore year. An electrifying return man, Mitchell's speed and elusiveness has enabled him to post a 24.1 yards per-attempt average on returns during his career.
Looming over all his success in the return game, is the fact that no Tiger has taken a kickoff back for a touchdown since 1982. Breaking that drought has become a top priority for Mitchell.
"It's very important to me, because I've been so close so many times," Mitchell said. "It's hard to get to the 40-yard line or the 10-yard line, and then get tripped up short."
As a sophomore, Mitchell caught a Texas Tech kickoff at the goal line and raced 89 yards downfield, only to be pulled down 11 yards shy of the end zone, the closest anyone has come to paydirt in two decades.
It won't be the end of the world for Mitchell if the record doesn't fall. There are far more important things in Shirdonya's life than a simple kickoff return. Number one on that list is his wife, Crystol Mitchell.
"I just want to say that I love her and thank her for everything that she's done for me."
The high school sweethearts have another blessing on the way, a little girl will be born sometime in October, right in the middle of football season. She will be born to a father about to graduate and begin his path to success; although he's not sure exactly what career will take him there.
The NFL is a very real possibility, but if his football career ends at Missouri, Shirdonya is eager to put his degree in hotel and restaurant management to good use.
Wherever Shirdonya Mitchell is headed in life, whether it be the NFL or the world of business, one thing is certain, he's going to get there fast.
