Odus Mitchell

James Odus Mitchell (June 26, 1899 – July 5, 1989) was an American football player and coach. As a coach, he was successful both at the high school and collegiate levels. In 42 years of coaching, at all levels, he compiled a 289–129–17 record. In his 21 years as a high school coach, he coached at Slaton, Childress, Pampa, and Marshall, compiling a 165–44–8 record. At Marshall he coached Y. A. Tittle. From 1946 to 1966, Mitchell was the head football coach at North Texas State College, now the University of North Texas, compiling a record of 122–85–9. From 1946 to 1952, the Mean Green enjoyed seven consecutive winning seasons, which is a school record. His teams earned 10 conference championships, and played in three bowl games. In his 1966 season, North Texas went 8–2, which helped earn him National Coach of the Year honors. In 1986, he was inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame.

Odus Mitchell
Mitchell pictured in The Yucca 1951, North Texas State yearbook
Biographical details
BornJune 26, 1899
DiedJuly 5, 1989(1989-07-05) (aged 90)
Denton, Texas
Playing career
1921–1924West Texas State
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1941–1945Marshall HS (TX)
1946–1966North Texas State
Head coaching record
Overall122–85–9 (college)
165–44–8 (high school)
Bowls1–2
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
2 LSC (1946–1947)
5 GCC (1950–1952, 1955–1956)
3 MVC (1958–1959, 1966)

Mitchell was also a catalyst for the integration of college football in the state of Texas, as he instituted a policy allowing "any African American students who showed interest in the football team to be given a fair chance" while he was the head coach at North Texas. He extended a partial scholarship offer to incoming African-American freshmen Abner Haynes and Leon King in 1956, promoting them to the varsity squad in 1957. Haynes and King both made their varsity debuts on the road against UTEP (then known as Texas Western) on September 21st, 1957, becoming the first African-Americans to play major college football in Texas.

In the summer of 1965, he also recruited future National Football League Hall of Famer Mean Joe Greene from all-black Dunbar High School in Temple, Texas. The ferocious Greene-led defense allowed an average of less than two yards per carry in 1966, Mitchell's final season at North Texas, earning the team the nickname "Mean Green," which stuck and is now the official mascot of the university to this day.

Head coaching record

College
Year Team Overall ConferenceStanding Bowl/playoffs
North Texas State Eagles (Lone Star Conference) (1946–1948)
1946 North Texas State 7–3–14–11stW Optimist
1947 North Texas State 10–26–01stL Salad
1948 North Texas State 6–44–22nd
North Texas State Eagles (Gulf Coast Conference) (1949–1956)
1949 North Texas State 8–42–12nd
1950 North Texas State 7–2–12–0–11st
1951 North Texas State 8–42–01st
1952 North Texas State 7–32–01st
1953 North Texas State 3–6–11–12nd
1954 North Texas State 4–61–12nd
1955 North Texas State 5–4–12–1T–1st
1956 North Texas State 7–2–12–0–1T–1st
North Texas State Eagles (Missouri Valley Conference) (1957–1966)
1957 North Texas State 5–51–02nd
1958 North Texas State 7–2–12–1–11st
1959 North Texas State 9–23–1T–1stL Sun
1960 North Texas State 2–6–10–34th
1961 North Texas State 5–4–11–2T–2nd
1962 North Texas State 6–42–11st
1963 North Texas State 3–62–2T–3rd
1964 North Texas State 2–7–11–3T–4th
1965 North Texas State 3–72–2T–3rd
1966 North Texas State 8–23–1T–1st
North Texas State: 122–85–945–23–3
Total:122–85–9
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

References
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