DATE: Tuesday, July 8, 1997                 TAG: 9707080425
SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C1   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY JIM DUCIBELLA, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH                    LENGTH:   69 lines

SKINS' MITCHELL FORESEES A SUPER YEAR

It won't go down with Joe Namath's predicting victory in Super Bowl III, but Brian Mitchell told Washington Redskins fans at the Norfolk Sports Club on Monday what they've waited four years to hear.

``We are going to be in the playoffs this year,'' Mitchell, the Redskins' special-teams star, told an enthusiastic audience. ``And once we get to the playoffs and get those teams in our new, 78,000-seat stadium, we can get to the Super Bowl.

``I have had several chances to leave here, but I've stayed because of something my dad said: `Never leave something when it's going bad.' It hurts to see teams we've whipped up on - New England - get to the playoffs, the Super Bowl.

``A lot of people in this business make career decisions these days on how much they can earn. I've stayed with the Washington Redskins because I want to bring the glory back to the franchise.''

Make no mistake, Mitchell makes money - about $1.5 million last season. By today's NFL standards, he's worth every penny. In 1996, he led the NFL in all-purpose yards for the third consecutive season. Only Jim Brown (1958-61) and Gale Sayers (1965-67) can make such a claim.

``I was the youngest of seven children and not very big,'' said Mitchell, who stands 5-feet-10. ``People used to tell me I couldn't do this and I couldn't do that and my dad would say, `Nonsense, you can do anything you want; you're a Mitchell.' He raised seven children and my mom never went to work a day in her life. He provided for all of us.''

Mitchell, now in his seventh season, is providing the example for his younger teammates. He wasn't scheduled to report for offseason workouts until March 4. He started at Redskin Park on Feb. 17.

``I did it for two reasons. One, no one's taking my job away from me, and, two, someone has to set an example for the other players,'' he said. ``I had guys - Art Monk, Don Warren, Earnest Byner - who set an example for me when I first came in. You do it so the young guys can see how it's supposed to be done.''

Mitchell became so engrossed running through the Redskins' offseason personnel acquisitions on defense that he had to be reminded about receiver Alvin Harper, who figures prominently in coach Norv Turner's offensive scheme.

Mitchell's opinions on the revamped Redskins' defense:

Cornerback Cris Dishman: ``He makes our defense 100 percent better. Tom Carter was a good player, but he was not a good man-to-man coverer. We couldn't blitz. Dishman has been playing man coverage in the AFC since he came into the league. We can turn people loose now.''

Defensive end Chris Mims: ``(Ex-Redskins tackle) Ray Brown told me Mims can really play if he gets in shape. He looks to me like he's in shape. He could be a huge help.''

Safety Jesse Campbell: ``We've had so many safeties the last few years you can't name them all, but all were young guys. This guy played for the Giants and can lay a lick on you. He's going to shut down a lot of people.''

New defensive coordinator Mike Nolan: ``The last three years, all we heard from the guys on defense was, `We don't have a blitz, we don't have this, we don't have that.' Now I hear remarks like, `This guy is going to let us play football.' They tell me the defenses are similar to what we had, but Mike Nolan is going to let them go. We're going to get after people this year.'' ILLUSTRATION: AP FILE PHOTO

``We're going to get after people this year,'' Redskins

special-teams standout Brian Mitchell told the Norfolk Sports Club.

Color Photo

HUY NGUYEN/

The Virginian-Pilot

Special-teams star Brian Mitchell expects the Redskins to make the

playoffs, and says they could go all the way.

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