May 30, 2012
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Boo Mitchell
Football – Wide Receiver – 1985-88
Regarded as one of Vanderbilt’s all-time greats, former wide receiver Gerald “Boo” Mitchell (pictured fifth from the left at 2012 Spring Game) still holds numerous Vanderbilt receiving records to this day. A former third team All-American in 1988, Mitchell’s senior season was the most prolific single season in school history. He caught 78 passes for 1,213 yards and five touchdowns. His 2,964 career receiving yards still rank as the most in school history.
VUCommodores.com recently caught up with Mitchell, who now calls Lawrenceville, Ga., home, and still is very heavily involved in football, and wouldn’t have it any other way.
VUCommodores.com: What is your current career?
Boo Mitchell: This is my fourth year owning a sports performance facility called The Factory in Lawrenceville, Ga. It is an 18,000-square-foot facility where we train athletes. I start them at six years old and I’ve got some pro athletes that train here as well. I also coach high school and youth football.
How long have you been coaching?
I’m in my 12th year coaching high school football and youth football. I am an assistant at Peachtree Ridge High School this year and I am also the head coach of the eighth grade football team at Peachtree Ridge.
I started coaching at Berkmar High School in Gwinnett County for five years. I then left Berkmar and went to Peachtree Ridge because my son was going to school over there. I coached there for four years and then I left and went to a school called Northview High School in Fulton County. I coached over there for two years. This last year, Peachtree Ridge wanted me to coach them so I just came back.
With you coaching as much as you are, do you ever make it back to Nashville for games?
It is very difficult because I coach as many football teams as I do. Right now I coach eighth grade Division II on Tuesday, JV on Thursday and varsity on Friday. And on Saturdays I have to coach my eighth grade Division I football team.
Sounds like you just can’t get enough football?
I really enjoy the coaching aspect and training kids and what not. I’m not trying to get out; I really like what I do.
Before owning The Factory, where else did you work after your NFL career?
I worked at US Steel for five years and I worked for Georgia Power for 13 years.
How closely do you follow what is going on at Vanderbilt?
Very closely now. Since Coach (James) Franklin took over, I’ve gone up there and met with him and he’s been down here and visited my facility along with Coach (Charles) Bankins.
There are quite a few kids at Vanderbilt now with Gwinnett County connections such as Jonathan Krause. We’ve also had incoming freshman such as Jake Sealand and Stephen Weatherly work out at my facility.
