There may be no player with greater expectations going into the new CFL season than 2014 Grey Cup champion and MVP, 2015 West Division nominee for Most Outstanding Player, and Calgary Stampeders star quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell. Bo first started playing football in his home town of Katy, Texas and has gone on to play with the Southern Methodist University Mustangs and the Eastern Washington Eagles before coming to Canada to join the Calgary Stampeders in 2012.
He eventually took the starting job in 2014, and in doing so set a number of club and league records, including best record for a starting quarterback in league history (12 wins, 1 loss). He recently had his greatest victory off the field as he married his wife Madi on New Year’s Eve. He took some time to chat about the upcoming season.
Troy Durrell: The last time I saw you was Mitchell’s Miracle Day in December. How did that end up going?
Bo Levi Mitchell: It turned out so great. It was even above and beyond what I thought it was going to be as far as the response from the kids, and more or less the parents. Just understanding how much of a difference that made for them, their holidays and their Christmas was pretty cool. Certainly a good feeling for Madi and myself.
TD: So you plan on doing it again?
BM: Oh yeah, we’re doing it every year. Hopefully we’re going to make it bigger every year, and keep it out of pocket as far as the presents from me and Madi, as well as taking donations to get presents for everybody else.
TD: Let’s get a little into your off-season. You recently started doing a new workout. How has that helped you get prepared for the 2016 season?
BM: It’s been amazing. My philosophy comes from JJ Watt in terms of trying to become a better athlete in any different way throughout the entire off-season, picking up a different sport or something along those lines. This year for me it was just about getting into way better shape. I want to be a guy that when it comes down to the fourth quarter, I’m not getting gassed and not hurting. It’s been great, I’ve lost 13 or 14 pounds. It will be different getting used to playing at this weight and being a little lighter but it will be fun.
TD: So let’s talk about CFL Free Agency. The Stamps added key players in former Ticats receiver Bakari Grant and linebacker Taylor Reed. What do they bring to the table?
BM: T-Reed is a guy I know pretty well. He was a freshman at SMU when I was there, and he reminds me a lot of (Stampeders linebacker) Deron Mayo. He came in and played strictly special teams at SMU and made so many plays and was such a factor that we had to put him on defence. So for us it’s a pretty good sign when you have a guy who is that big of a playmaker and can take on that sort of responsibility. I’m excited for him, I know he’s a hard worker. And I’ve always been able to watch Bakari because when I’m on the sideline, that’s when he’s on the field. I’ve seen him make some big plays, as well as responsible plays as far as blocking and things like that, which is required in our offence. I see a guy who is smart and can learn the playbook fast, which is big for us here in Calgary. He can make some big plays.
TD: Running back Jerome Messam also re-signed back here in Calgary. What does he bring back to your offence?
BM: Stability for one, to be able to put a Canadian at that position, so him and Matt Walter (recently released) can head that position up. But Messam’s just dynamic. He’s a big powerful guy and the thing I love about him is how well he catches out of the backfield. Obviously I like throwing the ball, I like giving the ball to him no matter what, but I’d rather throw it too him than hand it off (laughs).
TD: The CFL schedule came out recently. Are there any games you have circled on your calendar, like “Thats a game I can’t wait to play in”?
BM: Shoot, you know, it’s always game one. And then obviously going back to Edmonton to get a little bit of revenge, but that’s something that’s going to have to wait. You’re always going to circle the team that took you out of the playoffs, and then obviously they won the Grey Cup. Plus you always want to take out the champion, that’s just the nature of the game, and we went through it last year. But game one, definitely, because the game is indoors, so our offence can go out there and put the ball all over the field, and for me personally, it will put me in a good position to get off to a hot start and get the ball rolling for the rest of the season.
TD: Other than the Grey Cup, do you have any personal goals for yourself this season?
BM: Yeah, be the best player in the league. That’s my goal every year, last year I fell short of that and I was voted second behind Henry Burris, which was very well deserved by the way and I think we all know when you can have your best career year at age 40, that’s pretty damn impressive so I was excited for him. He’s a guy that I’ve learned from and watched him in film to see what he does, so I’m trying to follow in his footsteps and make sure every year my name is in the discussion for being the best player in the league. But it’s always team first, so as long as I can be the best player I can be, I can help our team win.
TD: So to make it a little bit more personal, you’re from Katy, Texas. How are you able to relate your new home in Calgary back to your hometown in Katy?
BM: It’s actually very similar. Hometown not as much, but Calgary is more like Houston (Katy is on the outskirts of Houston) and it’s an oil town, where you have the big wigs inside the city and immediately outside you have country, ranches and farms everywhere. So for me it reminds me of home as far as the feel. When you’re in the city, you get that city feel and 30 or 40 minutes outside of the city it’s just all farm, so it was an easy move for me. To be able to have that feeling of home is a big thing for me and my family. The only slight difference for me is the people, and not that I’m downing the people in Houston, it’s just that the people here are so loving, caring and just want to know you and your story. They’re not just, “Hey, what’s your name, let me have your autograph.” They want to get to know you, find out where you’re from and that’s always a welcoming feeling.
TD: What do you take from playing in Katy, SMU or EWU, and how do you bring that experience and knowledge back here to Calgary with the Stamps?
BM: The thing I’d take most from American football is definitely the competitiveness of it. It’s not that the CFL is a step down from the NFL or anything like that, this is a professional league and we get paid very well to do what we do, and we get paid to win games. So the first thing I asked the coaches was “who’s your starting quarterback?” and I told them “I’m going to take his job.” And as soon as that happened, the first thing I told Dave (Dickenson) was, “I want to be the best to ever play.” In order to make that happen, I have to become better every single year, every single week throughout the entire season. And also I need to make sure I’m always raising the elevation of the players around me. That’s what you define as a great player, somebody who can raise the level of play of the guys around him, and that’s something I always look to do.
TD: Thanks for all your time, Bo. I really appreciate it.
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