Bo Levi Mitchell

Bo Levi Mitchell

No. 19     Calgary Stampeders
Mitchell (right) with Jon Cornish in the backfield during the 2014 CFL Western Division Final.
Date of birth	(1990-03-03) March 3, 1990
Place of birth	Katy, Texas
Career information
Status	Active
CFL status	International
Position(s)	QB
Height	6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight	196 lb (89 kg)
College	Eastern Washington
High school	Katy
NFL draft	2012 / Undrafted
Hand	Right
Career history
As player
2012–present	Calgary Stampeders
Career highlights and awards
Grey Cup Champion (2014) Grey Cup Most Valuable Player (2014) Consensus First-Team FCS All-American (AFCA, AP, TSN, WCFF) (2011) FCS National Championship Game Most Outstanding Player (2011)
CFL West All-Star	2015, 2016
Awards	CFL Most Outstanding Player Award (2016) Walter Payton Award (2011) Big Sky Conference Offensive Player of the Year Award (2011)
Records	CFL Record for Most Consecutive Wins by a Starting Quarterback (14) CFL Record for Best Starting Record for a First Time Quarterback (12 Wins, 1 Loss)
Career stats
Passing completions	1,146
Passing attempts	1,734
Percentage	66
TD–INT	92-34
Passing yards	14,649
Playing stats at CFL.ca

Bo Levi Mitchell (born March 3, 1990)^[1] is an American gridiron football quarterback for the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football at Eastern Washington University. He became the starting quarterback for the Stampeders in the 2014 season and set a number of club and league records, including the best record for a first time starting quarterback in league history (12 wins, 1 loss).

Early years

Mitchell graduated from Katy High School in Texas in 2008. As a senior in 2007, he passed for 2,451 yards and 37 touchdowns with only four interceptions. He led Katy to a 16-0 undefeated season and a state championship. He was named to the Houston Chronicle’s Houston Top 110. Mitchell chose to attend SMU over an offer from Hawaii. Mitchell was also recruited by Eastern Washington.^[1]

College career

SMU

Mitchell played two seasons at SMU, starting all 19 of the games he played. In his career, he completed 385-of-676 passes (57.0 percent) for 4,590 yards (241.6 per game) with 36 touchdowns and 33 interceptions. His efficiency rating was 121.8.

As a sophomore in 2009, he started SMU’s first seven games before suffering an injury and being replaced by freshman Kyle Padron. Mitchell completed 56 percent of his passes for 1,725 yards, 12 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, for a passing efficiency rating of 117.9. However, SMU was 3-4 in those seven games before winning five of its last six to finish 8-5.^[1]

Eastern Washington

As a junior in 2010, Mitchell transferred to Eastern Washington University, which had previously recruited Mitchell out of high school. He helped lead EWU to the NCAA Division I FCS National Championship with a 20-19 come-from-behind victory over the University of Delaware, the school's first national championship in football. He was named the game's Most Outstanding Player after throwing three touchdown passes in the final 16 minutes of the game and had 302 total passing yards in the game as well.^[2]

In 2011, Mitchell led the FCS in four statistical categories, including passing yards (4,009) and touchdown passes (33) on his way to breaking four school records. He broke EWU's record for single season passing yards with 4,009, which ranks 17th in FCS history and fifth in Big Sky Conference history. Mitchell went on to win the Walter Payton Award as the best offensive player in the FCS and was also named the 2011 Big Sky Conference Offensive Player of the Year. Mitchell was also named to seven All-America teams this season, earning first team honors on six of them. He was the top quarterback on teams selected by The Sports Network, American Football Coaches Association, Walter Camp, Associated Press, Phil Steele Publications and Beyond Sports College Network.^[2]

Professional career

Calgary Stampeders

Mitchell went undrafted in the 2012 NFL Draft. On April 30, 2012, the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League signed Mitchell to a free agent contract.^[3] Mitchell saw limited playing time in the 2012 CFL season, playing as a 3rd-string backup behind Drew Tate and Kevin Glenn and ahead of Brad Sinopoli. Bo Levi Mitchell began the 2013 CFL season as the 3rd-string QB. Mitchell came on in the third-quarter after Kevin Glenn left with an injury (Drew Tate was already injured) and helped the Stamps to overcome a 24 point deficit to defeat the Alouettes on July 22, 2013.^[4]

In his first CFL start, on July 26, 2013, Mitchell completed 29 of 33 attempts while passing for 376 yards, in a big win over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Mitchell won the Gibson's Finest Offensive Player of the Week for this performance. The 2013 season proved to be a breakout season for Mitchell. He played significant time at quarterback in 5 of the games, and appeared in another 7 games. His completion percentage was an impressive 69.6%, throwing for 1,156 yards with 10 touchdowns and only 3 interceptions: A quarterback rating of 111.2.

On January 14, 2014, Mitchell signed a contract extension with the Stampeders that will keep him in Calgary through 2016.^[5] On June 14, 2014, Mitchell began the 2014 pre season with the Calgary Stampeders. The first week/game he played one quarter and ended the night with 76 passing yards in a 23-20 victory over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. On June 20, 2014 in the second week of pre season against the BC Lions Mitchell threw for 100 yards, 0 TD'S and 2 INT. On June 23rd Bo Levi Mitchell was named the starting QB for their week 1 game against the Montreal Alouettes. On opening day, Bo Levi Mitchell gave the Calgary Stampeders their first win of the season 29-8 against the Montreal Alouettes. Mitchell had 313 passing yards and 2 touchdowns and 0 interceptions. On Thursday, July 24, 2014, Bo Levi Mitchell tied Jeff Garcia's CFL record for consecutive career starts, going 7-0, with a 26-22 victory over the Edmonton Eskimos.^[6] On 23 November 2014, in his first playoff start, Mitchell led the Stampeders to a victory in the Western Final over division rival Edmonton Eskimos, earning them a berth in the 2014 Grey Cup.^[7] He and the Calgary Stampeders would go on to defeat the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 20-16 in the 102nd Grey Cup. Mitchell was named Grey Cup MVP. On March 3, 2015, his 25th birthday, Mitchell signed an extension with the Stampeders to keep him in Calgary through the 2018 season.^[8]

In Mitchell's second full season as the Stampeders starting quarterback he posted career highs in many passing categories leading the Stampeders to a 14-4 record, good enough for second place in the West Division behind the Edmonton Eskimos who beat them via a tiebreaker. Bo Levi Mitchell set personal bests in completions, attempts, yards, and touchdowns. For his efforts he was named a CFL West All-Star. After knocking off the BC Lions in the West Semi-Final the Stamps were eliminated by the Eskimos who would go on to win the 103rd Grey Cup.

Mitchell continued to improve in the 2016 season setting career highs in passing attempts, completions, yards and touchdowns. Mitchell started in 17 games in the regular season before being rested for the final game of the season after leading the Stamps to a 15-1-1 record, including a 15 game unbeaten streak which set a CFL record for most consecutive wins by a starting quarterback.^[9] Mitchell and the Stampeders dismantled the BC Lions in the West Division Final, winning 42-15 and advancing to the Grey Cup in the process.^[10] Prior to the Grey Cup game Mitchell was named the CFL's Most Outstanding Player.^[11]

Career statistics

References

External links

• Calgary Stampeders bio
• Eastern Washington Eagles bio