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Here's an article from the 01/15/06 edition of the Chattanooga Times Free Press:
Mom in charge for Mustain
By David Paschall Staff Writer
Beck Campbell owns a small property investment business in Springdale, Ark., and is a mother of four.
Yet to college football fans, especially those of the Arkansas Razorbacks, she is much, much more. Campbell has coordinated the recruiting process for her son, quarterback Mitch Mustain, who is Gatorades National Player of the Year and Parade magazines high school Offensive Player of the Year.
Interview requests, travel arrangements and updates about his eventual destination have been going through Campbell.
"Its a unique situation," said Jeremy Crabtree, national editor of the Rivals.com recruiting Web site. "Its probably one of the weirder things weve seen."
Mustain committed to Arkansas in mid-August but reopened his recruitment in early December after his Springdale High team capped a 14-0 season with a 54-20 whipping of West Memphis in the Class 5A state title game. That was one of just two Springdale games that didnt involve the states mercy rule, which calls for the clock to run on first downs and incompletions once a team has built a 35-point lead at halftime or during the second half.
The 6-foot-3, 200-pound Mustain has added Alabama, Notre Dame and Tennessee to his choices, though most national analysts believe he will sign with the Razorbacks. Within a week of him going back on the market, Arkansas coach Houston Nutt hired Springdale coach Gus Malzahn as offensive coordinator.
Campbell said she is just looking out for her 17-year-old, the biggest story in recruiting this winter, and that any parent would do the same thing.
"I think the only reason I get pegged is because Im a single mom doing this," Campbell said. "Every parent in my position is just as involved as I am. Ive met these people. Ive met them on unofficial visits, and I met them last week in San Antonio (at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl). Who do you think takes these kids on these trips? It amazes me when people think that every parent is not actively involved in this.
"You have to promote your child to get to this level. You cant just sit back and say, Oh, theyll find him. How the heck else would somebody in Michigan find a kid in Arkansas?" Mustains father is letting his ex-wife run the show.
When asked this past week to comment about the recruiting process, Gary Mustain said, "Youll need to talk to his mother about that." Informed such a conversation already had occurred, the elder Mustain said, "Well, Im going to pass on that."
Mitch Mustain passed for 3,817 yards and 47 touchdowns this past season and was intercepted only six times. Since Springdales closest win was by 28 points, he estimates having played about 60 percent of the offenses time on the field.
Several of his high school teammates will sign Division I-A scholarships Feb. 1. Receiver Damian Williams has committed to Florida, and tackle Bartley Webb has committed to Notre Dame. Receiver Andrew Norman and tight end Ben Cleveland have pledged to Arkansas.
Razorbacks fans, as evidenced by stayhomemitch.com, hope Mustain will stay too.
"That entire state has had him in a fish bowl for two years," Crabtree said. "Hes gone from being a savior to someone theyre having to beg not to leave."
Arkansas began the 2005 season with four quarterbacks: Robert Johnson, Alex Mortensen, Casey Dick and Cole Barthel. Since the teams 4-7 finish, Barthel has transferred to Arkansas Tech and Mortensen said he was going to Georgia Southern but now is considering other possibilities.
In the past month, Campbell and Mustain have experienced backlash over his decision to look around. Mustain said he wasnt sure about changes within the Arkansas program when he decided to de-commit, but neither he nor his mom has elaborated on that.
Campbell said the backlash can be seen every day in print or heard on sports shows throughout the state but hasnt resulted in nasty calls or letters. The distance from Springdale to the Arkansas campus isnt much farther than Hamilton Place from downtown Chattanooga.
"Mitchell and his friends are tight, as are all of the parents, so there is a really good buffer there," she said. "Is it hurtful to turn on a radio and hear people say bad things? Yes, it is, but for every person saying something hurtful, there are 10 people close to us who are saying positive things and being supportive.
"We dont know the people who are badmouthing him. And not to be ugly, but we dont care what they say."
Mustains much-anticipated decision, according to his mother, will not be made on ESPN or before a gathered audience. She said he will call a local reporter a couple of days before signing day and say, "This is what Im doing. Bye."
Campbell described the recruiting process as "crazy" and "a learning experience." She said there is something she would change if given another chance.
"Of all the places weve gone and all the people weve met, Ive never gotten an autograph," she said. "If I had to do it all over again, I would take a football with me and have all these people sign it. Im watching Brady Quinn and Vince Young on the Heisman show, and Im thinking, I ate lunch with these people, but I didnt get their autograph. "Everybody has my sons autograph. I could have had these things too."
E-mail David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com
This story was published Sunday, January 15, 2006
Mom in charge for Mustain
By David Paschall Staff Writer
Beck Campbell owns a small property investment business in Springdale, Ark., and is a mother of four.
Yet to college football fans, especially those of the Arkansas Razorbacks, she is much, much more. Campbell has coordinated the recruiting process for her son, quarterback Mitch Mustain, who is Gatorades National Player of the Year and Parade magazines high school Offensive Player of the Year.
Interview requests, travel arrangements and updates about his eventual destination have been going through Campbell.
"Its a unique situation," said Jeremy Crabtree, national editor of the Rivals.com recruiting Web site. "Its probably one of the weirder things weve seen."
Mustain committed to Arkansas in mid-August but reopened his recruitment in early December after his Springdale High team capped a 14-0 season with a 54-20 whipping of West Memphis in the Class 5A state title game. That was one of just two Springdale games that didnt involve the states mercy rule, which calls for the clock to run on first downs and incompletions once a team has built a 35-point lead at halftime or during the second half.
The 6-foot-3, 200-pound Mustain has added Alabama, Notre Dame and Tennessee to his choices, though most national analysts believe he will sign with the Razorbacks. Within a week of him going back on the market, Arkansas coach Houston Nutt hired Springdale coach Gus Malzahn as offensive coordinator.
Campbell said she is just looking out for her 17-year-old, the biggest story in recruiting this winter, and that any parent would do the same thing.
"I think the only reason I get pegged is because Im a single mom doing this," Campbell said. "Every parent in my position is just as involved as I am. Ive met these people. Ive met them on unofficial visits, and I met them last week in San Antonio (at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl). Who do you think takes these kids on these trips? It amazes me when people think that every parent is not actively involved in this.
"You have to promote your child to get to this level. You cant just sit back and say, Oh, theyll find him. How the heck else would somebody in Michigan find a kid in Arkansas?" Mustains father is letting his ex-wife run the show.
When asked this past week to comment about the recruiting process, Gary Mustain said, "Youll need to talk to his mother about that." Informed such a conversation already had occurred, the elder Mustain said, "Well, Im going to pass on that."
Mitch Mustain passed for 3,817 yards and 47 touchdowns this past season and was intercepted only six times. Since Springdales closest win was by 28 points, he estimates having played about 60 percent of the offenses time on the field.
Several of his high school teammates will sign Division I-A scholarships Feb. 1. Receiver Damian Williams has committed to Florida, and tackle Bartley Webb has committed to Notre Dame. Receiver Andrew Norman and tight end Ben Cleveland have pledged to Arkansas.
Razorbacks fans, as evidenced by stayhomemitch.com, hope Mustain will stay too.
"That entire state has had him in a fish bowl for two years," Crabtree said. "Hes gone from being a savior to someone theyre having to beg not to leave."
Arkansas began the 2005 season with four quarterbacks: Robert Johnson, Alex Mortensen, Casey Dick and Cole Barthel. Since the teams 4-7 finish, Barthel has transferred to Arkansas Tech and Mortensen said he was going to Georgia Southern but now is considering other possibilities.
In the past month, Campbell and Mustain have experienced backlash over his decision to look around. Mustain said he wasnt sure about changes within the Arkansas program when he decided to de-commit, but neither he nor his mom has elaborated on that.
Campbell said the backlash can be seen every day in print or heard on sports shows throughout the state but hasnt resulted in nasty calls or letters. The distance from Springdale to the Arkansas campus isnt much farther than Hamilton Place from downtown Chattanooga.
"Mitchell and his friends are tight, as are all of the parents, so there is a really good buffer there," she said. "Is it hurtful to turn on a radio and hear people say bad things? Yes, it is, but for every person saying something hurtful, there are 10 people close to us who are saying positive things and being supportive.
"We dont know the people who are badmouthing him. And not to be ugly, but we dont care what they say."
Mustains much-anticipated decision, according to his mother, will not be made on ESPN or before a gathered audience. She said he will call a local reporter a couple of days before signing day and say, "This is what Im doing. Bye."
Campbell described the recruiting process as "crazy" and "a learning experience." She said there is something she would change if given another chance.
"Of all the places weve gone and all the people weve met, Ive never gotten an autograph," she said. "If I had to do it all over again, I would take a football with me and have all these people sign it. Im watching Brady Quinn and Vince Young on the Heisman show, and Im thinking, I ate lunch with these people, but I didnt get their autograph. "Everybody has my sons autograph. I could have had these things too."
E-mail David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com
This story was published Sunday, January 15, 2006
