'I felt pretty lucky': Bruce Mitchell living his dream, 'balling his butt off' with No. 13 BYU

PROVO — To hear it from Bruce Mitchell's perspective, the offensive tackle from South Summit High only had one offer to play college football.

It's the only one he needed.

"BYU was it; they offered me, and I didn't think I'd do much better, so I committed," said Mitchell, the 6-foot-4, 295-pound redshirt sophomore who led the Wildcats to back-to-back 2A state championships in 2017 and 2018 before serving a church mission in Seattle. "I felt pretty lucky.

"I was a BYU fan, and I remember coming to games with my mom growing up," he added. "Now that we're here, it's so surreal to be playing in that stadium I went to growing up."

Mitchell initially arrived at BYU as a defensive lineman, and played in 11 games in his first two seasons while tallying nine tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and a pass breakup while also redshirting.

But when defensive coordinator Jay Hill and offensive line coach TJ Woods approached the soft-spoken big man about moving to offensive line, the conversation lasted about as long as his initial offer.

Whatever the coaches needed of him, he wanted to do. That included starting for the first time at center last week in the No. 13 Cougars' 41-19 win over Arizona.

"Bruce was playing for us last year on the defensive line, but I really felt strongly that he would be a better offensive lineman," Hill said. "I'm glad to see him get his opportunity, because he's a great kid, a phenomenal worker; he's tough, and I know coach Woods loves him. He played lights out, too.

"Kudos to Bruce for being ready to go."

In Mitchell's first start on the offensive line (at guard), the interior lineman didn't give up a sack, a QB hit, a hurry or a pressure against Kansas State while helping the Cougars to a 6-0 start (including 3-0 in the Big 12) and leading the line in pass blocking, according to Pro Football Focus.

Two weeks later, with Connor Pay sidelined following foot surgery and Sonny Makasini also injured, Mitchell stepped in at center — and again paced an offensive line that didn't give up a sack, alongside reliable tackles Brayden Keim and Caleb Etienne.

Through six games and 184 passing attempts, the Cougars have given up just five total sacks — and sack-free games against Wyoming, Baylor and the aforementioned Wildcats.

"I think it's pretty phenomenal what he's been able to do," said Woods, the first-year BYU offensive line coach who came to Provo as run-game coordinator after stops at Georgia Southern, UNLV, Utah State, Oregon State and Wisconsin, among others. "It's a testament to Bruce and his character; we got Bruce in the spring from the defensive line, and he was willing and able, and was all-in from the jump.

"All through the winter, Connor Pay spent a lot of time with him to get him ready, to get him caught up, and I think Connor's doing a heckuva job with him. We call him coach Pay right now, because he's doing a tremendous job taking Bruce under his wing and helping him out."

Added quarterback Jake Retzlaff of Mitchell: "That guy balled his butt off."

Pay says he'll likely be out for at least four weeks, certainly through Friday night's home tilt against Oklahoma State (8:15 p.m. MDT, ESPN) — and he's hopeful to return in time for the Cougars' rivalry game Nov. 9 at Utah.

But if Mitchell, who is listed with an "or" designation as a co-starter alongside an improving Makasini on the most recent depth chart, keeps playing the way he is … well, no rush, Retzlaff joked last week.

"Connor Pay, put your feet up, bro; relax," Retzlaff deadpanned, eliciting chuckles from local media in the room. "I'm kidding, but Bruce played incredibly. He's one of the most fun guys to be around in the locker room."

Normally, when a first-time center takes to the field, the coaches hold their breath for obvious reasons. Confidence is one thing, but there are so many variables — from the crowd to the snap to the opposing defensive line — that make that moment too big for plenty of players.

Woods didn't feel that way at all, he said, somewhat surprising even to himself.

"There have been many times in my career where I have been holding my breath," he said. "I wasn't that way at all with Bruce; I don't think anybody was.

"A lot of times, when backup linemen are in and thinking about what plays to call, you have to be cognizant of a certain play or two. … We called the game the same exact way we would have with anybody else in there. There wasn't ever a thought to protect Bruce here or there; we basically just played our offense, and that's a testament to him."

Likewise for Mitchell.

"You'd think a guy like that, coming in for the first start of his career (at center) would be nervous or trying to be too focused," Retzlaff said. "But that guy was making jokes more than I was, which is saying something. It just goes to show that guy is so comfortable and so confident in himself."

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