Ascension Episcopal QB Branon Mitchell draws praise from dad/coach, NFL vet Brandon Mitchell
by William Weathers // GeauxPreps.com Contributor
The unmistakable voice barks in the background.
Ascension Episcopal quarterback Branon Mitchell is fine tuning the team’s passing game, working with his receivers when he hears 1-2-3 originating from behind the drill, a deep booming voice that belongs to only one person.
“He’s screaming the ball should be out,” Mitchell said of his father, Ascension Episcopal defensive line coach Brandon Mitchell. “He’s trying to make sure I get the ball off on time.
It’s one of the rare moments Brandon can actually spend watching his son play the position where he’s been 20-3 the past two seasons.
Practices are different than the actual games. They tend to slow down enough and provide opportunities for interaction and feedback that fast-paced games seldom allow.
Just last week, a 38-7 state quarterfinal victory over Hamilton Christian, Branon Mitchell combined for three of his team’s touchdowns – including a majestic 61-yard run where the 6-foot-2, 175-pound senior maneuvered his way through the Warriors’ defense and sped away for a touchdown.
“That’s why I wanted to be in the stands and watch him,” Brandon Mitchell said. “I can’t watch him play; I’m coaching. On the long run he broke, I picked up my head and saw him score. I didn’t see the whole play and had to go back and watch it on film. I was too busy coaching and getting guys in the right spots, getting the defense right. I don’t get a chance to see it.”
Branon Mitchell was part of the team’s big first half, catching a 56-yard halfback pass, and also throwing a 44-yard TD pass to make it 35-0 at halftime.
Sixth-seeded Ascension Episcopal (11-1) advanced to the Division IV select state semifinals at second-seeded Riverside Academy (11-1) at 7 p.m. Friday at Mickey Roussel Field in Reserve.
It’s the second time the Blue Gators will appear in a semifinal, the first coming during Brandon Mitchell’s first season at the Youngsville school. The winner opposes the Westminster Christian-Ascension Catholic survivor in the Dec. 11 state title game at 3:30 p.m. in the Caeser’s Superdome.
“I’ve been waiting for something like this. I’ve always wanted to play in the Dome,” Branon said. “I finally have a chance for it to come true. We’re right there. It’s a big game, you’ve got to show up. I’ve always looked for the lights. When your team is in the (semifinal) lights, you’re doing something right.”
“It’s a special relationship when you can be on the sideline with your son on the field,” Ascension Episcopal football coach Jay Domengeaux said of the Mitchells. “I was fortunate to do that with my two sons. It’s a dynamic they’ll both remember for years to come.”
When he played football in middle school, Branon was a defensive player capable of making plays from the second and third levels of the defense.
With each tackle, teammates responded, ‘You’re just like your dad’, a tribute to Mitchell’s dad Brandon, a former standout defensive lineman at Abbeville High and Texas A&M. Brandon Mitchell was a second-round draft pick by the New England Patriots in the 1997 Draft, beginning an eight-year stay in the league that included a Super Bowl championship with the Tom Brady-led Pats in 2001.
“That’s what helps me out more,” Branon said. “I’m on the opposite side of the ball, and they can’t compare me as much to him. It’s cool that he accomplished so much, but at the same time, I’m my own person. I’m not on the D-line and never was. I’m not big enough to play that. I play a skill position.”
Brandon remembered going through a similar situation with his siblings when his star began to rise at Abbeville High as one of the nation’s top prospects. When he signed with Texas A&M, it brought to a close a highly publicized recruiting process.
“They didn’t like being Brandon’s little brother or little sister and living in that shadow,” he said. “Ascension teaches kids to be individuals. They teach kids to be responsible for themselves. I want him to be the best version of himself. I went through some crazy stuff in my life. If he needs me, I’m there. I want him to live his life and be the best, happy version of himself.”
Genetics were tangible on both sides of Brandon Mitchell’s family, with his brother Jason, who played collegiately at Tennessee, and cousins Anthony Levine (11-year NFL veteran with Green Bay and Baltimore) and Elijah Mitchell (5-year veteran currently with the Kansas City Chiefs) all playing in the NFL.
However, there was a distinct difference in the contrast of their body composition.
Brandon said his son’s slight-of-build is comparable to that of his own father, while the 6-foot-3 Mitchell, who was 270 pounds in high school, grew to 290-300 pounds during his professional career with the Patriots, Seattle Seahawks, and Atlanta Falcons.
“My friends see me and laugh because I’m big and overweight,” Brandon said. “Then they see how small he is.”
Branon said the dissimilarity in size with his father strengthened his stance on creating a different path. He acknowledged that the NFL is the pinnacle for aspiring football players and complimented his father on the work he put in to reach such a stature, but his own success would be defined differently.
“People would ask, ‘You’re going to play in college and the NFL just like your dad?” he said. “I told them I didn’t know what I was going to do. I’m happy for him, but I’m not him. We’re two different people, and I didn’t get that question again. That’s a big dude. I’m skinny.”
Branon began running track when he was 8, a part of his parents’ club in Vermilion Parish. His initial introduction to the javelin wasn’t memorable, and he considered discontinuing it, but the instance of his father, an eight-time state champion at Abbeville High School in the shot put, district, and javelin, helped serve as a catalyst in his improvement.
“Eventually, I got better, my dad pushed me to go through it, and I eventually panned out,” he said.
Brandon Mitchell, also the father of three girls, had a bigger picture for his children aside from the lessons they learned from athletics.
The Mitchell family valued structure and education and felt it was of paramount importance to have all of their children at Ascension Episcopal. Brandon’s oldest daughter is now a college graduate, his second-eldest daughter attends UL, Branon is a 3.5-3.6 student with college aspirations, and his youngest daughter is a sophomore at the school and is on the track team.
“I wanted them to be not just good athletes, but good students,” he said. “Your body can only take you for so long, but your brain can work a long time. After your athletic career’s over with, what do you do? I wanted to make sure my kids could look at someone in the eyes and have a good conversation with them. When they walked into a room that they had the confidence and knowledge to be in those rooms because you put the work in when you’re young. Ascension’s done a great job of helping my kids. They’re phenomenal when it comes to their education.”
Both Mitchells recognized the dynamic between father/coach and son/player presented challenges along the way.
“My dad didn’t know how to go between coach and dad, where it was weird at home,” Branon said. “He would talk about this, this, and this, and never turn into a dad figure. Then he realized, he’s not my actual coach. He said he would just help me out. Then we started bonding at practice, after practice, and at home.”
Brandon said a conversation with Domengeaux, who coached two of his sons at Ascension, provided some clarity.
“Talking to him helped me,” he said. “I’ve let coach Jay coach him, and I’ll keep my coaching points out of it. It’s hard separating the coach-father-son relationship. I don’t know how some dads do it and are able to enjoy it. It’s a very hard balance.
Branon’s first varsity season at Ascension was spent at wide receiver, providing a glimpse into an offense he would eventually take over in 2024. The Blue Gators went 9-2 with a pair of loses coming against eventual state champion Vermilion Catholic and Kentwood when Mitchell was knocked out of both games with injuries.
“That (sophomore year) helped him to grow and understand the offense as a whole,” Domengeaux said. “Instead of being back there and pulling the trigger on something, he got to experience other sides of it. He’s been a leader among the class he’s grown up with for quite some time. He does a good job of calming things when they get a little hectic. He does a good job of reading defenses and being able to communicate things with the sideline. He’s definitely grown into a strong presence on the offense.”
Branon combined for nearly 1,500 yards of offense and 22 touchdowns in Ascension’s spread offense. He completed 57 of 104 passes for 964 yards with 15 touchdowns and only one interception, and rushed 67 times for 580 yards and 7 TDs.
“Last year, I was kind of antsy and nervous,” he said. “This year, I knew what was going on. I understood the style of play and how our offense moved. It’s way better than last year. There were times last year when I wished I was still at receiver, but not this year. I was ready for bigger and better things.”
Ascension reeled off six straight wins to begin the 2025 season, going into a highly anticipated matchup on Oct. 17 with Vermilion Catholic at home, a game that would settle District 6-1A in the seventh week of the season.
The Blue Gators emerged with a 35-14 victory, encountered little resistance in their remaining league games until dropping a 25-24 decision, a game played they played without five starters, against Class 2A’s Lafayette Renaissance Charter.
“My son told me two years ago he wanted to go undefeated his senior season,” Brandon said. “We lost one game and went into that game without five starters. I don’t count that as a loss.”
Following an opening-round bye, the Blue Gators avenged the second of their two losses from the ’24 season with a 17-14 regional victory over Kentwood.
Mitchell followed that up with one of his more impact all-around efforts with three touchdowns that were a testament to his versality. That performance put him over 1,000 yards in passing for the season, with 1,025 yards and 13 touchdowns on 70 of 127 passing. He’s rushed for 524 yards and 9 TDs on 88 carries on the ground.
For his career, Branon Mitchell has accounted for 3,093 yards (1,989 passing, 1,104 rushing) and 47 TDs.
“He’s not a guy with a lot of big numbers,” Brandon said. “In 6th-7th grade basketball, he always wanted the other kids to succeed. He could score, but would pass the ball so that they could score and get points. He was always that person looking out for other people. That’s his nature. He wants everyone to be happy and share the wealth. He’s not a person that looks for or is concerned with stats. You won’t see him gloating, and I’m proud of him for that.”
Brandon’s appreciation for the competitive side of his son grew during his junior track season. The effects of a shoulder injury sustained in a playoff loss to Kentwood lingered into Branon’s track season and provided its share of trials to navigate.
Branon, a multi-event winner in the district meet, qualified in both the long jump and javelin for the Class 1A state meet. His qualifying mark of 192 feet – well beyond his dad’s best of 175 feet – was the top entry by nine feet, but a recurrence of shoulder discomfort during the state meet left him with a second-place throw of 179-4 or five feet behind first.
He placed fifth in the long jump, a distance of 20 feet, 8 inches.
“I was trying to rehab and get it slightly back for the state meet,” he said. “It bothered me, and I put a sling on. I had taken the sling off because it restricted me at regionals. I had to keep it on at state because I didn’t want to have surgery. It was very humbling. I took my time, learned from it to come back stronger and better.”
After a cruise for a family vacation, Branon got back to work with a trainer and coach in Texas, working to get his shoulder stronger and into championship-level form for the upcoming USATF Southern Association’s Junior Olympics in Georgia.
In an effort to relieve some of the torque on his shoulder, Branon shortened his stride to a three-step approach.
“I spent the entire summer with a trainer/strength coach,” he said. “I also went to football camps. I worked out, rehabbed, and practiced, and worked on technique.”
Improved health and increased competition, including the nation’s No. 1 javelin thrower in the 17-18 age division, brought out the best in Branon, who improved from a 183-2 effort at regionals to a personal best of 205-8 and a national championship, thus opening the eyes of college recruiters.
Brandon saw the toll the process had taken on his son and offered some words of advice.
“He thought he had lost it because his shoulder was so bad,” he said. “He couldn’t sleep (because of pain) at night. He wasn’t happy. He worked his butt off to get back on track. When he won nationals, he told me one thing that he learned: that he won nationals, but that he lost a lot of friends in the process.
“He said so many people were with him, but when he wasn’t good and was focusing on what he was doing, he didn’t see nobody. No one called,” he said. “It’s lonely when you go to the top. It can be a lonely journey, and you have to be comfortable with yourself and in your skin and believe in you. It’s focus on your craft, getting better at your craft. Guys like (former New England quarterback) Tom Brady, those guys I played with, their fun is their craft.”
Domengeaux and Mitchell have been a part of the same coaching staff at Ascension since 2016 – the same season the Blue Gators reached the Superdome for the first time.
Mitchell brought plenty of expertise to his position at Ascension. He totaled 198 tackles and 11 sacks during his career as part of Texas A&M’s famed ‘Wrecking Crew’ defense and added 198 tackles and 11 sacks during his 96-game NFL career.
“He’s been great for us,” Domengeaux said. “He does things that I haven’t seen a lot of D-line coaches do. He exudes confidence into the players that gives them the confidence to do things that maybe they don’t normally think they can do. The kids respond to him well. They lock into him; they feed off his energy. He’s a great technique coach. He’s really been an asset to have around.”
With his son entering his senior season, Mitchell gave serious consideration that after nine years of stepping away from coaching to focus on Branon’s final year. He’s been a non-faculty member of the staff and is now a mental health service provider.
Branon had other ideas.
“During the summer we talked, and he was really iffy about coming back,” he said. “He said it was my last year. He was thinking about whether he should watch it in the stands or from the sidelines. He really didn’t know what to choose. I told him I’d rather him come watch on the sideline and help us win games rather than watch us from the stands.”
Brandon wrestled with the decision. Not only was he loyal to Domengeaux, but he also relished the rapport he had with his defensive lineman and wanted to see them, along with the rest of them, enjoy the season.
“I just give it my best,” he said. “His (son’s) smile is all I care about right now. His smile and giving the team the best I can give them is all I truly care about. It’s my son’s team, and I’m doing my part for my son’s team, coach Jay, and the D-line. I want everyone to do well, and when it’s over, I can think about that then. My mind’s not on it. My mind is on giving them my best.”
That choice of holding onto his ground-level vantage point at practice and during games has enabled Brandon to witness something beyond his own skill set. He recalled a conversation with his former coach, R.C. Slocum, at Texas A&M during a trying 1996 team in which the Aggies, who had a defense with 10 starters that went on to play in the NFL, went 6-6 and lost 29-27 at then USL.
“He came to me to be a vocal leader,” he said. “I told him that I didn’t do that. I was a quiet, shy guy that didn’t believe in myself and had a stuttering problem. He said that was the reason we lost so much that year because of poor leadership. I watch my son, and he’s that vocal leader, the person to command the offense. I love it.
“I love watching my son,” he said. “I enjoy him as a young man. He’s way more than I was at that age. We’re not talking about stats, but as a human being. He takes care of his academics, knows what he wants to do when he goes to college. He’s everything I wasn’t. I just sit back and admire him. I’m so proud of him. He’s doing some stuff that I never could do.”
The two Mitchells rarely talk during a game, saving their discussions for afterward. But it was during a game in which Ascension’s defense struggled, prompting Brandon to approach his son with the following message: ‘You’ve got to put us on your back. We need you right now. I need you to carry us right now until we get settled. He looked at me and said, ‘gotcha, Dad.’ It was a serious look that I’ve got you.”
While his dad has tried avoiding the finality, hoping the team’s season extends to next week’s state championship game, Branon realizes the conclusion of their special time together in football has an expiration date.
“It’s fun, but it will be sad when it eventually comes to an end,” he said. “It’s definitely going to be sad, very sentimental. That I won’t be able to look to the sideline and just see him.”