Mitchell has made the playoffs every season since 2014. Doing it again will be harder.
Graduation cost the Mustangs roughly 15 starters off a 10-3 team, leaving coach Andy Schmitz with a roster short on varsity snaps.
“This is one of the youngest teams I’ve ever had,” said Schmitz, who has led the program since 2014 and won his 100th career game last season.
He isn’t worried.
“We’re pretty talented,” Schmitz said. “We’ll get a lot better as the season goes on. We just have to survive the first few games and weather some mistakes before we start hitting our stride.”
The biggest hole is at quarterback, where Cayden Thomas left as the most productive passer in school history. Thomas, now at South Carolina State, threw for 6,878 career yards and accounted for 38 touchdowns last season, 28 passing and 10 rushing. He set a Pasco County record along the way, throwing nine touchdown passes in the first half of an 80-0 rout of Anclote in October. Receiver Bryce Backus is gone, too, after more than 1,000 all-purpose yards and 13 touchdowns.
Rex Driggers, a transfer from Gaither, takes over. He found Cody Connor for a touchdown in the preseason win over Wesley Chapel, an early sign the two are in sync. Connor is Mitchell’s lone returning offensive starter and had 118 yards and two touchdowns receiving last season.
Until the offense settles, the Mustangs will lean on their defense. Dequrez Gulley, Nolan Keirns and Robert Dunning are among the leaders on that side of the ball.
Mitchell has set the standard in west Pasco County. The Mustangs lost to rival River Ridge in back-to-back seasons in 2014 and 2015 and have not lost to the Knights since. Their last defeat to a west Pasco opponent came against Gulf in 2023, when Mitchell scored late, went for a 2-point conversion and the win at the end of regulation and did not convert. Gulf is the season opener Aug. 21.
The district offers no relief. Mitchell drops to Class 5A this fall into a district with Gaither, East Lake, Largo and Sickles. The trip to Gaither on Oct. 23 sends Driggers back to his old school.
Then comes River Ridge on Oct. 30 in the regular-season finale. The Knights could be Mitchell’s biggest threat on the west side.
“We have some talented guys,” River Ridge coach Fred Reid said. “We should definitely take the next step.”
Getting to the postseason has not been the problem. Each of Mitchell’s last four playoff runs ended with a loss to the team that went on to win the state title in the Mustangs’ class.
Mitchell
Coach: Andy Schmitz, 13th season
Last season: 10-3
District: 5A-8
Schedule: Aug. 21 vs. Gulf; Aug. 28 at Hudson; Sept. 4 vs. Fivay; Sept. 18 at Land O’ Lakes; Sept. 25 at East Lake; Oct. 2 vs. Crestview; Oct. 9 vs. Sickles; Oct. 16 vs. Largo; Oct. 23 at Gaither; Oct. 30 at River Ridge