Reggie Mitchell enters his second season as the running backs coach on UTEP head coach Dana Dimel’s staff in 2019. Mitchell, a coaching veteran with over 31 years of experience, has coached/recruited 33 players who have been selected in the NFL Draft, including six first round picks.
Mitchell directed a rushing attack that gained 1,484 yards rushing and 17 touchdowns. It was an improvement from a season ago when the Miners rushed for 1,147 yards and nine scores. Three different Miners ran for 300-plus yards for the first time since the 2014 campaign.
UTEP gained a season-high 265 yards on 37 attempts (7.2 avg.) and rushed for a trio of scores at UNLV. The Miners tallied 235 yards against NM State, while grinding out 200 yards on 45 carries and a season-high five rushing scores during a victory at Rice.
Quardraiz Wadley, after sustaining multiple injuries during the first few seasons of his collegiate career, led the way with 627 yards on 123 attempts (5.1 avg.) and seven touchdowns. Wadley produced solid numbers during his junior season as he gained a season-high 111 yards against rival NM State. He set a career high with two rushing scores and gained 91 yards during a victory at Rice, and followed with a 99-yard performance and two more rushing scores against Middle Tennessee. Wadley added 96 yards on seven carries (13.7 avg.) at UNLV.
In 2017, Arkansas averaged 168.0 rushing yards per game, as David Williams led the way with 656 yards on 117 carries (5.6 avg.) and eight rushing scores. Devwah Whaley rushed for 559 yards on 127 attempts and seven touchdowns. The Razorbacks rushed for 200-plus yards in five games, including a season-high 260-yard output at Ole Miss. The rushing attack also found the end zone 24 times, as Arkansas rushed for four scores in three separate contests.
Prior to UTEP, Mitchell served two seasons (2016, 2017) as Arkansas' running backs coach.
During Mitchell’s first season in Fayettville, the Razorbacks averaged 164.2 yards per game (13 games) as Rawleigh Williams led the way with 1,360 yards on 245 carries (5.6 avg.) and 13 total touchdowns. Whaley rushed for 602 yards (5.5 avg.) and three scores.
Prior to Arkansas, Mitchell spent six seasons (2010-15) at Kansas where he was the running backs coach and recruiting coordinator.
Under Mitchell’s guidance, Kansas running back James Sims completed his career third on the KU all-time rushing chart with 3,592 yards and 34 touchdowns. He became the first player in Kansas history to rush for back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons (2012-13), highlighted by leading the Big 12 in rush yards per game (112.6) in 2012. Sims’s 2012 performance led to All-Big 12 second team accolades before earning first team All-Big 12 honors as a senior in 2013 when he followed his breakout season with 1,110 yards. In 2012, Sims made up half of Kansas’ All-Big 12 backfield along with Tony Pierson, who was also recognized by the Associated Press and league head coaches after totaling over 1,000 yards from scrimmage.
Mitchell spent five seasons at Illinois (2005-09) as an assistant head coach, recruiting coordinator and running backs coach. While in Champaign, Ill., the Illini won two Big Ten rushing titles (2006 & 2007), while the offense recorded consecutive seasons with 5,000 yards of total offense. The 2006 Illini led the Big Ten and ranked 10th nationally with 188.8 rushing yards per game while the 2009 squad was 18th in the NCAA at over 200 yards per contest on the ground.
In 2007 at Illinois, Mitchell’s running backs room featured NFL first round pick Rashard Mendenhall (Pittsburgh Steelers, 2008), who set the school records for single-season rushing yards (1,681) and rushing touchdowns (17) en route to being named the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year.
Mitchell spent time at another Big Ten school Michigan State for six seasons (1999-2004), mentoring the wide receivers in 1999 and the running backs for five seasons. He also served as the Spartans’ recruiting coordinator from 2000-04. While in East Lansing, Mitchell tutored two NFL first round draft picks in wide receiver Plaxico Burress (Pittsburgh Steelers, 2000) and running backs T.J. Duckett (Atlanta Falcons, 2002), plus recruited a third in wide receiver Charles Rogers, the no. 2 selection overall by the Detroit Lions in the 2003 NFL Draft.
In 2001, Duckett rushed for 1,420 yards – the fifth-best single-season total in school history. Duckett, MSU’s fifth all-time leading rusher with 3,379 career yards, became the first Spartan running back to be drafted in the first round (no. 18 overall) since Lorenzo White (Houston Oilers) in 1988. In 1999, Mitchell coached the wide receivers, including Burress, who set then-MSU single-season records for receptions (66), receiving yards (1,142) and touchdown receptions (12).
The first of Mitchell’s three consecutive Big Ten stops came at Minnesota where he coached the running backs in 1997 and 1998.
Mitchell worked with the Jayhawk defensive linemen during his first stint at Kansas, focusing on the defensive ends from 1991-94. He then switched to the offensive side of the ball to coach running backs in 1995 and 1996. While Mitchell was at KU, the Jayhawks played in the 1992 and 1995 Aloha Bowls. KU produced four winning seasons in his tenure, after recording just one in the previous 11 years.
Mitchell began his coaching career at Central Michigan (1983) before heading to Ferris State (1984), Michigan (1985), Western Michigan (1986) and Kent State (1987) before establishing himself at Kansas.
A four-year starter as a running back at Central Michigan from 1978-81, Mitchell rushed for 2,394 yards in his career and helped the Chippewas win back-to-back Mid-America Conference (MAC) titles in 1979 and 1980. He rushed for 1,068 yards as a senior.
Mitchell earned a bachelor’s degree in parks and recreation from Central Michigan in 1984. He has four children, son Kaeman, and daughters Karena, Jennifer, and Deborah.
COACHING EXPERIENCE
2018-Present: UTEP (Running Backs)
2016-17: Arkansas (Running Backs)
2010-15: Kansas (Recruiting/RBs)
2005-09: Illinois (Asst. HC/RBs/Recruiting Coordinator)
2000-2004: Michigan State (Recruiting/RBs)
1999: Michigan State (WRs)
1997-98: Minnesota (Running Backs)
1988-96: Kansas (RBs/DEs/DL/WRs)
1987: Kent State (Wide Receivers)
1986: Western Michigan (Running Backs)
1985: Michigan (Graduate Assistant)
1984: Ferris State (Wide Receivers)
1983: Central Michigan (Student Assistant)
PLAYING EXPERIENCE
1978-81: Central Michigan (Running Back)
