Fall sports at Olivet Nazarene University have been outstanding in 2026. The ONU football team has had a particularly strong season and the team is looking forward to potential post-season play. In the following interview, Avante Mitchell, Olivet’s head football coach, shares some of what has made this year’s team great.
Coach Mitchell, congratulations on all your success this season! As the regular season draws to a close, I’d like for you to take us through the journey that brought our ONU Tiger Football Team to this point. You’ve had a nearly perfect season so far, dropping just one game on the field to a Top Ten ranked team. To what do you attribute this success?
First and foremost, I attribute our success to the commitment, discipline and buy-in of our student-athletes, along with the tremendous work of our coaching staff. We’ve worked hard to establish a culture built on accountability, toughness, preparation and a genuine commitment to one another.
Our players have embraced the expectations we’ve established, and they’ve consistently demonstrated a willingness to compete, sacrifice and do things the right way. We’ve also had tremendous leadership within our locker room. Our leaders have helped establish the standard and hold one another accountable.
Success doesn’t happen overnight. It’s the result of intentional work, trust and consistency. I’m incredibly proud of the direction our program is heading.
Let’s talk about the ONU Tiger offense. Twice this season, the Tigers have scored 70 points in a game. That’s the most offensive points scored in a game in the three years you’ve been here, and you were able to do it twice! Walk us through this year’s offense.
Our offensive success starts with the tremendous job our offensive coaching staff has done preparing our players and putting them in positions to be successful. We’ve developed an offensive identity that allows us to be physical, explosive and balanced. We have playmakers at multiple positions, and one of the things I appreciate most about this group is its unselfishness. We can run the football effectively, create explosive plays through the passing game and distribute the football to multiple playmakers. Defenses can’t simply focus on one individual or one aspect of our offense.
Our offensive line deserves tremendous credit. Everything we want to accomplish offensively begins with those guys up front. They’ve established a physical presence and allowed our skill-position players to make plays. Our quarterback leadership, the production of our running backs and receivers, and the commitment of the entire offensive unit have been instrumental. Ultimately, our offensive philosophy is about creating opportunities, playing with confidence and finishing drives. Scoring 70 points twice is a tremendous accomplishment, but what makes me proud is how collectively this group has approached its work.
On defense, you’ve given up just one touchdown in the last three games. What makes this unit so dominant?
Our defensive identity is built around physicality, discipline and playing with relentless effort. I think the biggest difference with this group is its understanding that defensive football is about playing together. It’s not about one individual making every play; it’s about 11 guys executing their responsibilities and trusting one another.
Our defensive staff has done an outstanding job developing this group, making adjustments and putting our players in positions to succeed. We’ve been able to create pressure, limit explosive plays, generate turnovers and make opponents work for everything they earn. I also believe our depth has been important. We’ve had multiple players contribute, and that allows us to maintain our intensity throughout the game.
The statistics are encouraging, but what I appreciate most is the mentality of this group. They take tremendous pride in protecting our end zone, playing physically and responding to adversity. That’s the standard we expect defensively.
How have special teams contributed to the success of ONU Football this season?
Special teams are often an overlooked component of a football program, but we understand that they can dramatically impact the outcome of a game. We emphasize that all three phases are equally important. Our special teams unit, which we call “Wefense,” has embraced that responsibility. Our Wefense mentality simply means the we believe that WE all must take ownership in our special teams in for us to be successful.
Whether it’s field position, kickoff and punt coverage, our return game, the kicking operation or our protection units, every opportunity matters. Special teams require discipline, attention to detail and tremendous effort from players who understand that their contributions may not always show up in the box score.
Our coaches have done an excellent job preparing these units, and our players have taken ownership of their assignments. We’ve challenged our guys to recognize that winning football requires complementary football.
You’ve got a talented coaching staff and a roster full of playmakers, but a lot of other college programs could say the same and haven’t had this level of success in all three phases of the game. What makes this 2026 ONU Football Team special?
I think what makes this team special is its collective commitment to something bigger than itself. We have talented players, a tremendous coaching staff and quality leadership, but those things alone don’t guarantee success.
This group has developed a genuine connection and an understanding of what it takes to compete at a high level. Our players hold one another accountable, celebrate one another’s accomplishments and understand that individual success is a byproduct of team success.
We’ve also experienced adversity, and how we’ve responded has revealed a lot about our character. Our team has continued to prepare, compete and represent this University with tremendous pride. We often talk about the Tiger Way and what it means to be The Streak (a family of tigers on the hunt). I believe this team has demonstrated those values throughout the season. I’m proud of our players, our coaches and everyone within our athletic department who has invested in our program.
There’s one game left in the regular season. What do think the key will be to finishing strong and earning a road win against St. Xavier University?
It’s going to require our best week of preparation. Saint Xavier is a quality football team with an explosive offense, particularly through the passing game. We understand the challenges they present, and we’ll have to be disciplined in our assignments and execute at a high level.
Playing on the road presents its own challenges. We have to control the things within our control: we must take care of the football, eliminate costly penalties, win the line of scrimmage and execute in critical situations. Most importantly, we must remain true to who we are. We can’t allow the circumstances or the significance of the game to distract us from our preparation and responsibilities. Our focus is on finishing the regular season the right way. We want to play complementary football, compete for four quarters and give ourselves the best opportunity to come away with a victory.
Olivet currently ranks in the top 20 in the country in some of the most important statistics: 17th in Scoring Defense, 7th in both Scoring Offense and Rush Defense, and 6th in Tackles for Loss. What can the Tigers do in this final game to leave the best final impression with the committee that will be selecting teams and seeding for the NAIA Playoffs?
I think the most important thing we can do is continue to play the brand of football we’ve demonstrated throughout the season. We’ve been productive offensively, physical defensively and committed to playing complementary football. We’ve demonstrated that we can score points, run the football effectively, stop the run, create takeaways and compete against quality opponents.
Ultimately, we believe our body of work speaks for itself. We recognize that postseason selection involves multiple criteria, but we also believe our on-field performance, statistical production and the quality of football we’ve played deserve consideration.
Most importantly, we want to finish the season in a manner that honors God and the work our players and coaches have invested. These young men have earned the opportunity to compete, and we’ll continue to prepare and approach every game with the expectation of winning.
For more information about Olivet Nazarene University Football and all other varsity sports, visit ONUTigers.com.
