Tuesday, January 12, 1999
Mitchell’s return in Rose Bowl brings old spark back to
offense
SIDEBAR: Wide receiver recovers from leg injury, prepares to
make impact
By Rocky Salmon
Daily Bruin Staff
The beginning of a new year for the UCLA football team did not
bring much joy as the Bruins fell to Wisconsin. However, for one
player – wide receiver Freddie Mitchell – the new year brought back
a chance to spark the big play for the UCLA offense.
In the season opener against Texas, Mitchell was heralded by the
media and coaching staff alike as the wide receiver who was going
to step into Jim McElroy’s offensive position as the
game-breaker.
And those praises were not fluff, as Mitchell single-handedly
roped the Longhorns by grabbing four catches for 108 yards,
throwing for a 34-yard touchdown pass, running for 30 yards on a
reverse and returning three kickoffs for 78 yards. But his most
impressive play came when the Longhorns appeared to be climbing
back into the game, as Cade McNown hit the streaking Mitchell for a
79-yard touchdown reception to seal the game.
The next weekend against Houston, it appeared Mitchell was on
his way to another great game as he almost broke a kickoff return
for a touchdown. He was tackled after a 47-yard return and
fractured his right femur.
The spark plug had been pulled.
The starter of UCLA’s offense was dead.
Flash forward to the next year, the final game of the
season.
In a miraculous recovery, Mitchell was ready to play against
Wisconsin.
But for the first quarter, Mitchell remained silent. Finally,
with 10:08 remaining in the second quarter, the starter kicked in
and the engine fired up.
On second down and six to go, it was Texas all over again.
Mitchell would receive a handoff from McNown and hit a wide-open
Durell Price with a 61-yard touchdown pass.
"When I got the ball, there was pressure from the defense and I
had to readjust," Mitchell said. "I was supposed to hit Farmer but
he was covered and I went to my second option which was Price, who
was wide open. It was just like playing flag football."
Mitchell would be put in on several plays, but would not end up
catching a pass. However, he brought that special excitement back
to the field.
"He gave us a boost," flanker Danny Farmer said. "He’s a great
player and you can tell he loves to play football. But it’s just
hard because he couldn’t contribute 100 percent. But we know he’ll
be ready next year and it shows we’ll be dangerous again."
"Having Freddie was fabulous," offensive coordinator Al Borges
said. "We tried to get a little bit out of him tonight. It wasn’t
as much as we would have liked to and definitely not as much as he
would’ve liked to."
After the game, as Mitchell walked off the field, a small smile
escaped his lips.
He deserved to feel good. The season was long and painful, and
to feel the grass beneath the feet and play in front of the home
crowd once more was not the perfect fairy tale ending but close
enough for Freddie Mitchell.AARON MICHAEL TOUT
After sitting out most of the season, Freddie Mitchell returned
to action in the Rose Bowl.
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