Pats keep football, athletics in family
- Updated: October 5, 2020
2020 EAST COUNTY PREP FOOTBALL
By Nick Pellegrino
Special to EastCountySports.com
EL CAJON – The coaching torch has been passed in the Christian High School athletics department.
Danny Mitchell, who once guided the Patriots to a CIF San Diego Section championship as their quarterback, has returned to his alma mater as head football coach and director of athletics. He follows the footsteps of his father, Mike, the long-time baseball coach for one of the section’s most successful programs.
Danny Mitchell, 32, will take over the coaching reigns from Matt Oliver, who posted a career mark of 172-73-3 mark and seven league crowns over 20 seasons at Christian, starting in 1999 (he skipped the 2003 season).
Over the consecutive season in 2013-14, Oliver posted a composite mark of 25-2 (12-1 then 13-1). He is listed 14th all-time in victories among CIFSDS schools, and second among private schools behind only No. 10 Sean Doyle of Cathedral Catholic (204-94-0 in 24 seasons).
He also played basketball, then baseball for his father, Mike, with the Patriots. Mike Mitchell has more than 500 wins as the Pats’ head baseball coach.
Danny Mitchell also steps in for veteran AD and assistant football coach David Beezer.
As a student-athlete, Mitchell was a two-year starter at quarterback (2005-06), capping his career with a 14-10 triumph over Francis Parker in the Division V title game. However, his football “career” started much earlier patrolling the Patriots sidelines as a ballboy.
From Christian, Mitchell played collegiate for Williamette University, an NCAA Division II school located in Salem, Ore., then spent three seasons as a Bearcats assistant coach.
He most recently was the offensive coordinator at Bishop’s for former Christian High QB Joel Allen, who also stepped down during the summer after becoming the 45th coach in section history to earn 100 career wins (100-35-1 in 11 campaigns). So Mitchell spent the past five months as offensive coordinator at Torrey Pines until the position with the Pats became vacant.
