Bowling Green State University Athletics
Ashtabula Star Beacon Feature Article on Mitch Hewitt
August 16, 2002 | Football
Aug. 16, 2002
Bowling Green, Ohio - There comes a time in every athlete's career when he is asked to pick his game up a notch. For former Chardon football prep star Mitch Hewitt, that time is now. He is slated to be the starter at outside linebacker this fall for the Bowling Green State University Falcons, coached by Ashtabula native Urban Meyer. He is replacing Khary Campbell, who was All-MAC and is currently in the Dallas Cowboys training camp competing for a roster spot.
Hewitt was a fantastic high school football player at Chardon from 1996-1998. His senior season was phenomenal as he was a first team all-state selection on defense after registering 140 tackles, 22 of those for a loss. He was also named Co-Defensive Player of theYear in Division II. From his fullback slot on offense, he rushed for 1,994 yards and scored 38 touchdowns, both school records. He also set school records for most points in a season (228) and rushing yards in a game (288 vs. Eastlake North).
That season, he also led coach Bob Doyle's Hilltoppers to the Division II state championship game, where they fell just short to Lebanon in one of the best high school football games in Ohio history.
Hewitt remembers his days at Chardon High School with great fondness.
"Coach Doyle and Coach (Jim) DiPofi were awesome," he said. "I still keep in contact with them today. The friends that I had on that team were incredible. Scott Mackar is still my best friend today.
"The coaches and players on that team definitely helped me get to where I am today." Hewitt was named runner-up for the prestigious Mr. Football award in the state his senior year and later accepted a full ride to play football for BGSU.
The road to Bowling Green from Chardon was a difficult one for Hewitt during his first year playing for the Falcons.
"With all the accolades and being all-everything at Chardon, reality really set in for me very quickly," Hewitt said. "When you get to the Division I level, the players are bigger, faster and more mature. It is so different here than at high school. It's like night and day.
"That was probably one of the hardest times of my life, that freshmen year."
The highlight of his freshmen season was playing against Michigan at the big house and recording six solo tackles. But that first year, Hewitt suffered a serious knee injury and received a medical redshirt after just three games.
After Hewitt's first season at BG, Meyer took over the helm for the Falcons, coming from the University of Notre Dame as a highly regarded up-and-coming coach. The Falcons finished the season 8-3 and Meyer engineered the top turnaround in NCAA I-A football in 2001.
Hewitt was a very valuable backup on defense last year and excelled on all special teams for the Falcons. He is very happy playing for Meyer and feels he has been an extremely positive influence on himself and the whole BG football program.
"I could spend the next 20 minutes talking about what Meyer has done for this program," Hewitt said. "The difference is night and day, starting with our work habit. The way we practice and the way we are treated. Also the way we have won. He makes you work harder, but he also rewards you."
The entire Falcon defensive coaching staff is very high on Hewitt, including the head coach. So how does Coach Meyer think Hewitt will fare for his team this season?
"This a big year for him. No doubt about it," Meyer said. "He has to replace Khary Campbell, who was a pretty good football player for us last season. Hewitt had a great spring and he is a fine young man. We have very high expectations for him this year."
Hewitt has been a winner wherever he has played. He has a confident air to him and is very excited to start for the Falcon defense this season.
"I don't even know how to describe the feeling," he said. "I came here to be a starter. I have the chance to contribute and make big plays, so I have to make the most out of that opportunity. I have big shoes to fill and I'm really looking forward to the challenge."
By talking to the people involved with the Bowling Green football program, it appears Mitch Hewitt will pick his game up a notch this season and meet those high expectations that have been set for him.
The Mitch Hewitt File
NAME - Mitch Hewitt. TEAM - Bowling Green State University Falcons. NUMBER - 11. LEAGUE - Mid-American Conference. POSITION - Outside linebacker. AGE - 21. DOB - Sept. 18, 1980. HEIGHT - 6-foot-1. WEIGHT - 220 pounds. HIGH SCHOOL - Chardon. MAJOR - Education. GRADE - Redshirt Junior. FAVORITE FOOD - My mother's veal. FAVORITE JUNK FOOD - Potato chips and Doritos. FAVORITE MOVIE - Braveheart. FAVORITE ACTOR - Robert DeNiro. FAVORITE TV SHOW - ESPN Sportscenter. FAVORITE WEBSITE - www.bgsufalcons.com. FAVORITE MAGAZINE - Sports Illustrated. FAVORITE HOBBY - Golf. FAVORITE SPORT - Football. FAVORITE ATHLETE - Tiger Woods . FAVORITE PROFESSIONAL TEAM - Cleveland Browns. FAVORITE COLLEGE MOMENT - Beating Northwestern and Toledo last season. PERSONAL - Parents Scott and Elizabeth Hewitt of Chardon. Fiancee Gail Navatsyk of Chardon.Summer practice, also known as two-a-days, are very grueling at Bowling Green State University. Mitch Hewitt takes us through one of those days:On those summer days...
"A typical day begins at 6:20 a.m. with a loud knock on your dorm-room door. After that, the coaches blow a loud horn to make sure you are up. Those sounds are probably the two worst things you can wake up to. We have to be at the stadium by 7 a.m. for early meetings and a quick breakfast.
"Then, we practice our hearts out until 11:30 a.m. We eat a good lunch and most guys take an hour nap. This is a very important part of the day. Then, back to the stadium for the afternoon practice, which is usually shorter then the morning practice because of the heat. "After the afternoon practice, we eat dinner and get a short break. Then, the hardest part of the day is our night meetings. They last pretty long and you are tired by this time. Those meetings go from 8 p.m. to 9:45. You get a snack and are in your room at 10 p.m. and lights are out at 10:30.
"It's a pretty intense and difficult day. You don't know if we are in war, you don't know what the weather is. You don't know much of anything. The only thing that you do know is your playbook."
- Joe Pete Jr.
