University of North Carolina Athletics
Khalif Mitchell Impressive In Spring Workouts
April 5, 2004 | Football
April 5, 2004
by Adam Lucas
Tar Heel Monthly
North Carolina's defensive struggles over the past two seasons are no secret to Khalif Mitchell.
"That's my main reason for coming here," he said after Saturday's spring game. "I know how to work hard, and that's how we're going to get things turned around, by working hard."
Working hard will help, but so will recruiting more players like the 6-foot-6, 297-pound Mitchell. After moving from New Jersey to Virginia in 1998, Mitchell was a rarity - a talented lineman who was somewhat unknown in college recruiting circles. He signed with the Tar Heels as a member of the class of 2003 and spent a year at Hargrave Military Academy to shore up his academics.
He spent most of that year playing defensive tackle, and over the past year he weighed as much as 315 pounds. But defensive line coach Brad Lawing likes Mitchell's pass-rush ability and wants to play him at end this fall. Under the watchful eye of Jeff Connors, Mitchell has shed some of the excess weight and hopes to trim down to 290 after summer conditioning.
The extra pounds didn't seem to hamper him in the spring game, when he notched an impressive first-quarter sack of Darian Durant after being knocked to his knees, scrambling back up, and tracking down Carolina's senior quarterback.
"Big guys my size don't usually run that fast," he says with a smile.
ig guys his size also usually don't spend practice time in high school working out with the running backs. A latecomer to the game of football - he didn't begin playing the sport competitively until 11th grade - Mitchell tried some unusual tactics as a prepster to try and speed his adjustment to the game. That's why, on some practice days at First Colonial High in Virginia Beach, he could be found going through running back drills in an effort to improve his foot quickness.
"We're just scratching the surface with Khalif," John Bunting says. "He has what it takes in terms of physical attributes. We'll continue to work on his stance and technique, and he gives you everything he has on the practice field every single day. That's how you become good at this. It's not just by talent alone."
The practice field dedication must be working. Mitchell has gotten significant time with the first string defensive line this spring and looks to be a candidate to start his first college game against William & Mary on September 4.
His role as a freshman will be simple: pressure the quarterback. Carolina notched just 16 sacks last season, numbers that should improve if Mitchell is able to master the nuances of the defensive end position.
"The coaches are really teaching me technique and moves to get around the o-line," he says. "My pass rush isn't perfect yet, but I'm going to try really hard."
That's the kind of attitude that makes Bunting smile when he talks about his recruiting trail discovery. The Tar Heels were one of the first teams to latch on to Mitchell, dedication that paid off when he picked Carolina.
Despite new attention from several prominent programs, the mutual attraction didn't fade when the prospect spent a year at Hargrave. At the time, it was a disappointing interruption to his football career. In hindsight, however, he thinks the detour has paid off.
"If I'd come here right after high school, I would have had the responsibility to do things that physically I don't think I could have done," he says. "It's been a two-year struggle. I've been waiting forever to get out there in Kenan Stadium and play."
Adam Lucas is the publisher of Tar Heel Monthly and can be reached at alucas@tarheelmonthly.com. To subscribe to Tar Heel Monthly, click here.
