Aug 29, 2018 3 min read

The Noah Mitchell era begins tonight in Columbus, Ohio, where California University’s football team opens the season against Ohio Dominican.

Mitchell is the true freshman from Euclid, Ohio, who won the starting quarterback job in camp. He will step in for Michael Keir, who graduated after last season.

Maybe more important than Mitchell’s performance is the effectiveness of running back Jalen Bell.

The cousin of Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell, Jalen Bell is the most experienced running back returning for a youthful Vulcans offense.

The 6-0, 205-pound senior rushed for 447 yards and seven touchdowns last season and he proved to be a reliable pass receiver out of the backfield with 27 receptions for 184 yards. Bell will be highly motivated to play against Ohio Dominican because he is a native of Columbus, Ohio. A large contingent of family and friends will be on hand to watch him play.

“I’m excited about the season,” Bell said. “I’m ready to go.”

Bell will be in a rotation system with Noah Brown, a 5-11, 225-pound junior, and Chuck Carr, a 5-10, 205-pound redshirt freshman. Brown is a highly regarded transfer from Lenoire-Rhyne. Moving the ball on the ground will be critical to not only Mitchell’s success but the Vulcans’ success.

“I see me in an important role,” said Bell, who spent the summer working out with Le’Veon Bell in Florida. “I think there will be more emphasis on the running game this year. We had a new running back (Brown) come in and we’ll be helping the young quarterback out.”

Bell is 10 pounds lighter than last year, a change he hopes makes him more of a threat.

“I’ll be able to get through the line faster,” he said. “I think it will help my explosiveness.”

Ohio Dominican is the defending champion of the Greater Midwest Athletic Conference. Last year, the Panthers rallied from a 33-14 deficit in the third quarter to take a 34-33 lead before Cal made a field goal in the final minute for the win.

The Panthers are ranked 23rd in the AFCA Division II preseason poll and returns 15 all-conference players from last season, including seven first-teamers. Overall, 47 letterwinners return, including 16 players who started at least three games. Cal is unranked.

“We have a really tough schedule this year,” said head coach Gary Dunn, who begins his third season with Cal. “We play Ohio Dominican first and they should have been in the playoffs a year ago.”

Notes

Kickoff is 7 p.m. … Old Dominican, a Catholic University, finished 7-3 last season, 7-0 in the conference. Cal ended 9-3 and lost in the first round of the NCAA Division II playoffs to Assumption. … ODU is 9-5 all-time in season-openers and 5-2 when opening the season at home. This is the first time ODU’s opened at home since 2014. The Vulcans have won 12 of their last 14 season-openers. … After suffering a season-ending injury in Week 3 last year, wide receiver Jordan Dandridge received a medical hardship waiver and returns as a redshirt junior.