Preseason 1993 - Best DLinemen

[Frozen]

 

[CbusCuse]

Wow. I remember Kevin Mitchell being awesome for SU but didn’t remember him being thought of that highly by the national pundits.

 

[DomeHolmes]

It’s amazing how much things have changed in the trenches in just 30 years. (Basically one generation) Only two of the guys on the DT/DE list are over 300 pounds and more than half are under 270.

I recently re-watched our game versus Tennessee in their championship year. And approximately 25 years ago, our right tackle was 268 pounds! Today that’s the size of a freshman “project”.

 

[MGraves5]

Wow. I remember Kevin Mitchell being awesome for SU but didn’t remember him being thought of that highly by the national pundits.

He was the 53rd pick in the draft. Also helps in terms of recognition being on a top-10 team.

 

[FrancoPizza]

Wow. I remember Kevin Mitchell being awesome for SU but didn’t remember him being thought of that highly by the national pundits.

His fiesta bowl performance elevated him into the national spotlight. Back when new years bowls were huge deals.

 

[sufandu]

He was the 53rd pick in the draft. Also helps in terms of recognition being on a top-10 team.

Moving to linebacker his senior year probably helped his draft position.

 

[NJCuse97]

His fiesta bowl performance elevated him into the national spotlight. Back when new years bowls were huge deals.

I thought his Pitt performance on Halloween in the '92 season was a breakout. I believe during his LB experiment, in a return to nose tackle, his natural position, he handled Curtis Martin and completely blew up the Pitt line and Alex Van Pelt, ultimately knocking him out of the game. Of course Pitt was a 3 win team that year under coach Paul Hackett.

For a fun "then vs now" contrast, VT lost to Rutgers that same day, 50-49. I think only now does that game have the potential for a similar outcome (with MUCH fewer points scored).

 

[All4SU]

I thought his Pitt performance on Halloween in the '92 season was a breakout. I believe during his LB experiment, in a return to nose tackle, his natural position, he handled Curtis Martin and completely blew up the Pitt line and Alex Van Pelt, ultimately knocking him out of the game. Of course Pitt was a 3 win team that year under coach Paul Hackett.

For a fun "then vs now" contrast, VT lost to Rutgers that same day, 50-49. I think only now does that game have the potential for a similar outcome (with MUCH fewer points scored).

Alex Van Pelt … the absolute master of the ball on the hip fake, until…. Schrader!

 

[Cheriehoop]

Kevin’s death at 36 - just going to sleep and not waking up was such a shocker and so sad.

 

[sufandu]

Kevin’s death at 36 - just going to sleep and not waking up was such a shocker and so sad.

That is so weird. Do you know if a cause was ever reported?

 

[RF2044]

Mitchell was great.

Dominant NT despite being 250 pounds.

RIP.

 

[Cheriehoop]

That is so weird. Do you know if a cause was ever reported?

Sleep apnea causing a massive heart attack is what was reported.

 

[sufandu]

Sleep apnea causing a massive heart attack is what was reported.

Even that is crazy. I've known people that died that way but they had been morbidly obese their entire adult lives and died 20-30 years older.