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->“He’s a wise man for his age because he has been playing so much football here,” said Spanos, UConn’s defensive coordinator. “The production is outstanding. I mean, top-10 tackler in the country. He leads by example. When he speaks, everybody listens. When I say everyone, I mean all three phases (of football) because if Jackson is talking, there’s a reason for it.”
While the football team brings in an influx of new talent with transfers and recruits, Mitchell is the epitome of homegrown success. The Ridgefield native has made tremendous strides over the last couple of years. “The maturation process and just how high his football IQ is,” Spanos said. “He understands the game. When we are talking about football, us two are on the same page. He will be like, ‘Did you see this? or ‘What about this?’ He’s a football junkie.
“He’s trained with [strength and conditioning] coach [Matt] King. He’s done an outstanding job and his body has changed so much. He’s morphed. Jackson has had an outstanding spring. He wants this year to be special. All signs are a go. He’s so self-driven and a high-motor guy; it’s a joy. This is one of the reasons you get into coaching because of players like him.” <-