How wide receiver Kris Mitchell has ‘elevated’ his game in short time at Notre Dame

You know the “see ball, get ball” stigma that’s attached to unbelievable high school players who are the same guys that can’t seem to find footing in college? Prince Kollie was slapped with that tag in his two seasons at Notre Dame, for instance. Now he’s at Vanderbilt, a program-for-program swap that can only be deemed a demotion.

It’s something that was even attached to Jaylen Sneed , a highly ranked linebacker recruit like Kollie who didn’t make as much of an impact in his first two seasons in South Bend as many expected him to. He’s refined his game, though, and is expected to be one of Notre Dame’s most important defensive players this season. Graduating out of “see ball, get ball” is entirely possible.

It isn’t limited to the defensive side of the ball, either, and it isn’t just for high school kids. Fighting Irish wide receiver Kris Mitchell is in his sixth season of college football. He was still trapped in a case of “see ball, get ball” in his fifth last fall at Florida International.

Transferring to Notre Dame has unlocked new levels for Mitchell.

“He wasn’t asked to do, I don’t think, as much at FIU as we’re probably asking him to do,” Notre Dame wide receivers coach Mike Brown said. “So, I think everything in the spring, not everything, but I think there were some things that were just foreign to him, right? He’s done a really, really good job of adjusting.”

“Last year was a lot of choice routes,” Mitchell explained. “Posts, gos, deep corners, stuff like that.”

Brown’s Notre Dame route tree is much more expansive. Slants, digs, double moves, out and ups, shallow corners. All in addition to posts, gos and deep corners, of course, and all from condensed splits to wider ones. The kitchen sink.

For the first time in perhaps his entire football-playing career, Mitchell gets to the line of scrimmage with the feeling he’s going to totally take whoever’s across from him by surprise. He’s not going to just run by that guy, see the ball and get the ball.

He’s going to use his skill set and Notre Dame’s offensive scheme to get open.

“I feel like when a corner is up against me, he doesn’t know what I’m going to run because of our route tree,” Mitchell said. “It’s different. A lot of variety. Not just deep balls. A lot of in-breaking routes, out-breaking routes, fits. It’s helped my game a lot.”

We’re talking about a guy who still caught 64 passes for 1,118 yards and 6 touchdowns last season without the degree of direction or guidance he’s getting now. “See ball, get ball” players aren’t bad. They’re actually very good. But when they realize they can be even better if they hone a craft and tap further into their potential, they become great.

That’s what’s currently occurring for Mitchell.

“He ran a couple of routes the other day [and] I’m like, ‘Who’s that?'” Brown said. “You know what I mean? It’s been really, really fun just watching his game develop. Obviously, he’s got the speed aspect, and he’s made some plays down the field, which has been good. It’s just exciting to just continue to watch him grow.”

Mitchell is so confident and comfortable in his ability now he’s suggesting to quarterback Riley Leonard when to call a mini audible of sorts and turn a slant into a double move in response to what he’s seeing in the defense.

“Typically, that only happens throughout the season,” Mitchell said. “I feel like it’s starting to happen earlier because I’m such a veteran. It’s happening in camp where I’m able to read the coverages. I know how I want to run my routes based on what I see. Pre-snap, seeing where DBs and safeties are. I feel like my game has elevated.”

Notre Dame plucked Mitchell from the portal for what he did at FIU, for sure. The numbers are ones the Irish have been yearning for from a wide receiver for years. But the decision was also one made on potential, of which Mitchell has more of in South Bend than he did in Miami.

“He’s getting a little bit of taste of everything,” Brown said.

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