BIG RAPIDS, Mich. — From Cleveland to Big Rapids, it has been a wild journey for Ferris State quarterback Mylik Mitchell.
"It was kind of a long road, it's a long story," he smiled. "I'm just happy to be here, for real."
Mitchell was a great student and quarterback at John Hay High School, but being a standout on an underachieving team made it difficult to receive college attention.
"I had a bunch of MAC offers and closer to signing day, those got taken away because I guess other guys committed," he explained about his high school recruitment.
He would make the hour trip south to play for the Kent State Golden Flashes, where he started in his redshirt-freshman season back in 2016.
However, just a couple games in on the road at Alabama, one hit changed everything.
"End of the first half, I dropped back, get sacked and don't get up so well," he recalled. "That season ended and I bounced back from that but before I could get back the next season I tore my ACL and that ended my stint at Kent State."
Mitchell would tell that story with a smile on his face, which explains who he is; never down, never out, always laughing and making the most of every day.
"You can look at it however you want but I'm just proud to be here really," Mitchell added.
After two seasons off in 2018 and 2019, Ferris State came calling.
Now, he's hit the ground running, even breaking a school record for passing yards in a game with 508 and six touchdowns in the 67-25 win over Northwood least week.
"Just keep dreaming, man," he said about his message to others. "As a kid, I had a lot of dreams and I still wake up as a grown man with those same dreams. Don't let anyone deter you from your dreams, keep going."
Making the jump from Division-I to Division-II can sometimes lead to a selfish attitude from a player, but head coach Tony Annese says Mitchell has fit in seamlessly, even if he's not on the field.
"He's so extraordinarily unselfish, it's unbelievable," said Annese. "I'm really proud of Mylik and what a team player he is."
Mylik credits his unselfish attitude and positive mindset to his late great aunt.
"It's nothing negative going on in my life really," he laughed. "There might be according to people around me but I have people dead and gone and all kinds of stuff, I'm standing here, playing football and going to college for damn near free so I'm living life and i'm not going to have a frown on my face."
The Bulldogs will travel to Lubbers Stadium to take on Grand Valley State in the Anchor-Bone Classic on Saturday night at 7:00 PM.
