CULVER CITY, Calif. -- 2011 was a special year for Alemany wide receiver Steven Mitchell.
50 receptions, 1,006 yards, and 17 total touchdowns are certainly special numbers. He, in turn, parlayed that into a scholarship from USC amongst other schools across the nation.
If Alemany opponents throughout the Southern Section thought that was something, the USC commit plans to kick it up a notch in 2012. In addition to making the rounds on the camp circuit - including an invite to The Opening, and garnering MVP awards during the spring - Mitchell spent time this summer working out with Miami Dolphins wide receiver Chad Johnson.
Mitchell has worked with renowned wide receiver coach Charles Collins since he was in the 7th grade. This summer Collins and Johnson reunited after a two-year hiatus and Mitchell was along for the ride.
"It's amazing," Mitchell said. "I never did that before. (Coach C) told me before I came out here just to stay focused and watch all the moves that they do and that's what I've been doing."
Mitchell is looking to take what he learned and turn it into an even greater year for him in 2012.
"I think that's going to give me a great advantage," Mitchell said. "The corners are good now but once I take this to the field it's going to be ridiculous. I already got a dot on my back from last season.
"This is going to prepare me for it."
It's been quite a ride for Mitchell, who began his high school career as a running back. He made the switch to wide receiver as a sophomore.
His sophomore season at Alemany in 2010 could, very well, have been dubbed "The Vernon Adams Show."
The then-senior quarterback threw for over 2,500 yards and ran for nearly a 1,000 to lead the Warriors to wins in their first 12 games of the season before falling to Servite in the PAC-5 semifinals.
Mitchell had, more or less, a supporting role in that show. Although he averaged 15 yards per catch, his reception total added up to 24 in his first season playing wide receiver.
He worked out with Coach Collins leading up to his junior year and immediately saw the results. The converted running back was plenty comfy in the slot last season when he exploded onto the scene, and made a name for himself as one of the most dynamic playmakers in the Southern Section. It came as a surprise to many, but not Mitchell.
"I wasn't surprised," Mitchell said. "I did what I was supposed to do. Before that season, I worked with Coach C and that's one of the reasons I did as well as I did last year.
"My sophomore year I wasn't explosive as last year. I wasn't as fast as last year. Others were definitely surprised, they didn't know I had that shiftiness in me."
Besides his growth on the field, Collins has seen Mitchell grow in other areas as well, which prompted the coach to invite him to workout with some of the pros he trains.
"This is the first year where he showed the maturity in terms of how he's developed and where he can get around the pro guys and not be in awe of it and actually get out here and compete with them," Collins said.
Mitchell is grateful for the opportunity.
"He knows his craft," Mitchell said of Collins. "He knows the football game. He's just giving us some good knowledge."
Knowledge we'll all see on Friday nights.
