North Little Rock is turning to an accomplished Mississippi coach to help stabilize its successful but unsettled program.
Starkville, Miss., High School Coach Jamie Mitchell is being recommended by North Little Rock School District Superintendent Kelly Rodgers to become the Charging Wildcats' new football coach.
Jamie Mitchell glance
AGE 48
POSITION North Little Rock football coach
FAMILY Wife Ginger, son Dillon, daughter Alli
COLLEGE Mississippi State and Itawamba Junior College
HIGH SCHOOL Pontotoc (Miss.)
COACHING EXPERIENCE Starkville (Miss.) head coach/assistant athletic director 2010-2014; Itawamba Agricultural head coach 2006-2009; Olive Branch (Miss.) head coach 2002-2005; Charleston (Miss.) head coach/athletic director 2000-2001; Ripley (Miss.) head coach 1997-1999; Tupelo (Miss.) assistant coach 1993-1996; Pontotoc (Miss.) assistant coach 1991-1992; Saltillo (Miss.) assistant coach 1990
NOTEWORTHY 163-61 in 18 seasons as a high school head coach. … 11 of 18 seasons with 10 or more victories. … Won Mississippi Class 5A state championship at Starkville in 2012. … Head coach for Mississippi in Mississippi/Alabama All-Star Classic in 2014. … Starkville was ranked 18th nationally by MaxPreps in 2014 after a 13-1 season.
Mitchell year-by-year
STARKVILLE (MISS.)
YR REC POSTSEASON
2014 13-1 Lost 6A state championship
2013 9-4 Lost 6A state semifinals
2012 12-3 Won 5A state championship
2011 12-3 Lost 5A state championship
2010 5-6 Missed postseason
TOTAL (5 SEASONS) 51-17
ITAWAMBA AGRICULTURAL (MISS.)
YR REC POSTSEASON
2009 13-1 Lost 4A state semifinals
2008 10-2 Lost 4A second round
2007 11-2 Lost 4A quarterfinals
2006 6-5 Lost 4A first round
TOTAL (4 SEASONS) 40-10
OLIVE BRANCH (MISS.)
YR REC POSTSEASON
2005 12-2 Lost 5A state semifinals
2004 10-2 Lost 5A first round
2003 4-7 Missed postseason
2002 6-5 Missed postseason
TOTAL (4 SEASONS) 32-16
CHARLESTON (MISS.)
YR REC POSTSEASON
2001 12-1 Lost 2A quarterfinals
2000 6-5 Missed postseason
TOTAL (2 SEASONS) 18-6
RIPLEY (MISS.)
YR REC POSTSEASON
1999 10-2 Lost 3A first round
1998 6-5 Missed postseason
1997 6-5 Missed postseason
TOTAL (3 SEASONS) 22-12
OVERALL (18 SEASONS) 163-61
SOURCE misshsfootball.com RESEARCH Jeremy Muck, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Rodgers will recommend the hiring of Mitchell at a special school board meeting at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at the district's administrative office.
"He has a lot of similarities to what we're running already in North Little Rock," Rodgers said. "He's had a tremendous program every place he's been. He'll help our program."
Mitchell is moving from the largest classification in Mississippi, Class 6A, to the largest in Arkansas, Class 7A. North Little Rock is coming off a 10-2 season in which it won the 7A/6A-East Conference title, but lost to Bentonville in the 7A state semifinals.
"It's a school that has great tradition," Mitchell said in a telephone interview. "It's a school that has a proven record. It's very similar to what I'm in at Starkville."
Mitchell, 48, is 163-61 in 18 seasons as a high school head coach at four schools, winning at least 10 games 11 times.
In five seasons at Starkville, Mitchell went 51-17 and led the school to a Class 5A state championship in 2012. Starkville lost in the Class 6A state championship last season. Mitchell was the head coach for Mississippi in the Mississippi-Alabama All-Star Classic in 2014 and served as an assistant in 2012 and 2013 in the game.
If approved, Mitchell will replace Brad Bolding, who was fired last month for violating district purchasing procedures and recruiting rules. Bolding has filed a lawsuit against the North Little Rock School District in Pulaski County Circuit Court and Rodgers said Tuesday that the district is discussing the lawsuit with its legal counsel.
Rodgers said Mitchell will have an annual salary of $76,716.
North Little Rock begins spring football Monday. So if Mitchell is approved Thursday, he'll have to get to work as soon as possible.
"From the outside looking in, I've got a ton to learn," Mitchell said. "I've got a lot of folks to get acquainted with. I'm going to be the outsider. But I can't wait to get my feet on the ground and go to work."
Mitchell was one of 10 candidates interviewed by a seven-man committee made up of three district staff members, two parents and two community members. He was one of six head coaching candidates in the final group that was interviewed along with Dumas' Mark Courtney, Mena's Tim Harper, Wynne's Chris Hill, Pine Bluff Dollarway's Cortez Lee and Barton's Van Paschal. Former Arkansas Razorbacks football player Jeromy Flowers, an assistant coach at Homewood (Ill.) Flossmoor, and North Little Rock assistants Jason Houle and Blake Pizan and North Little Rock softball coach Anthony Cantrell were also interviewed.
The opportunity to coach one of the top high school football programs in Arkansas was too good for Mitchell to pass up. He'll also have a new football stadium and high school at his disposal. The stadium, which is scheduled to be done by July 1, will seat 5,500 and half of the new high school will open in August, Rodgers said, with the other half to open at a date to be determined.
"I wanted a place where I could win," Mitchell said. ". That will be very evident in North Little Rock. We've got some guys who are eager and hungry.
"Heck, I wish I was there today."
Mitchell has never coached in Arkansas, but he does have ties to the state. His older brother David is a pastor at Mount Carmel Baptist Church in Cabot.
Mitchell said he and his wife Ginger are excited about the North Little Rock job and the said he coach hopes to continue his success with the Charging Wildcats.
"It's a brand new chapter for us," said Mitchell, who has two grown children, Dillon, 23, and Alli, 21. "We've moved regularly in Mississippi. Everywhere we've been, we've loved it. We've built great friendships wherever we've been.
"Crossing the state lines isn't a big deal. It's blocking and tackling, like everywhere else. It's very evident that they're proficient at that."
Sports on 05/06/2015
