KALAMAZOO, MI - A mortgage payment, a spouse and 10 years of experience as a professional athlete are three things separate Western Michigan punter Derrick Mitchell from his Broncos teammates.
His age - 30 - separates him from the rest of college football.
The oldest player in the Football Bowl Subdivision, Mitchell is also the leader in punts downed inside the opponent's 20-yard line, with 30 of his 52 attempts forcing teams to drive 80-plus yards.
Mitchell, a redshirt junior, is averaging 42.4 yards per punt, with two touchbacks and a long of 64 yards.