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Mickle
returns to Redbird football roster
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[July 11, 2007]
NORMAL -- The last time Illinois
State fans saw Kevett Mickle was in 2004, when he set the
single-season school standard for catches and receiving yards by a
freshman. After a rocky start academically, Mickle's collegiate
football career appeared to be grounded. However, after earning his
associate degree at Hillsborough Community College, Mickle is
returning to Illinois State to finish what he started -- on the
field and in the classroom.
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"A couple of years ago, Kevett fell victim to the peripheral
opponent that we talk about all the time, and got himself into a
little bit of a hole academically," Johnson said. "However, the
thing that has struck me the most as we began to converse with him
about coming back was how much he had matured. He has a totally
different perspective on opportunity, responsibility and
accountability." The 2004 All-Gateway Football Conference Newcomer
Team selection played in all 11 games for the Redbirds that season.
He finished the campaign with 34 catches for 529 yards and two
touchdowns. Mickle collected at least one catch in every game, while
posting a career-best 104 yards on six catches at Indiana State, on
Oct. 2, 2004.
Hillsborough Community College does not sponsor a football team,
so Mickle has had a two-year hiatus from the game.
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"I was also pleased to see that he came back still looking like a
receiver," Johnson said. "He didn't get heavy and didn't get fleshy.
I'm sure he's not in great playing shape right now, but I'm pleased
to see that he is back here early to achieve that before camp.
"There is going to be a learning curve again, but his football IQ
was extremely high. Football came very easy to him, and he played
well as a true freshman. We expect that he will get up to speed
quickly, both physically and mentally."
At 6-foot-3, 195-pounds, Mickle ranked second on the team in both
catches and yards in 2004, behind current Atlanta Falcon Laurent
Robinson, who was a sophomore for the Redbirds.
[Text from file received from Todd Kober,
assistant athletics director, media relations,
Illinois
State University]
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