Mitch Mustain in 2008 : The experienced Mitch Mustain will compete for the starting quarterback job as a sophomore in 2008 at USC Trojans.
Mitch Mustain was one of the most sought-after high school recruits by college football programs during the 2005-2006 school year. On January 16, 2006, he informed Gus Malzahn, his former Springdale High School coach and then Arkansas offensive coordinator, of his decision to commit to Arkansas. Nicknamed "The Future" for the lofty expectations and heights he was expected to lead the Arkansas program to for the next four years, Mitch Mustain played sparingly in the first game against Southern California. Although Mitch Mustain was named the starting quarterback by the second game of the season, he was eventually benched for sophomore Casey Dick.
After Mitch Mustain finished his playing career at Springdale High School in Arkansas, Parade magazine named him High School Player of the Year in its January 1, 2006, issue. He was then named "Mr. Football" in Arkansas by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. He was also named the 2005-06 Gatorade National Football Player of the Year, the first-ever from the state of Arkansas. Scout.com ranked him as the high school class of 2006's top quarterback recruit. Mitch Mustain had told reporters he planned to play for either Notre Dame, Tennessee, Alabama or his home-state Arkansas Razorbacks.
In his junior year at Springdale, Mitch Mustain completed 63 percent of his passes for 2,164 yards and 20 touchdowns. In 2005, he threw for 3,817 yards and 47 touchdowns and completed 69.3 percent of his pass attempts. Springdale went undefeated and won the Arkansas Class 5A state title in Mitch Mustain's senior year where he was sacked only twice.
In his first game as a freshman at Arkansas, Mitch Mustain replaced starting quarterback Robert Johnson in the fourth quarter of an eventual 50-14 loss to the USC Trojans. He immediately put together an impressive 80-yard touchdown drive against the second and third team Trojan defense. The following day, Arkansas head coach Houston Nutt named Mitch Mustain as the starting quarterback for the next game against Utah State, moving Johnson to wide receiver.
He was benched for sophomore Casey Dick, following an intercepted pass on Mitch Mustain's first pass attempt in the game against South Carolina. Mitch Mustain finished the season with 894 yards passing, completing 69 out of 132 passes with 10 touchdowns and 9 interceptions.
Following the season, Mitch Mustain requested and received his release from his scholarship when his former high school coach and current college offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn decided to move to the University of Tulsa. He has remained enrolled in classes at Arkansas while he evaluates his options for transfer. Mitch Mustain will reportedly visit the University of Southern California, as a possible transfer destination, in late February 2007. His Razorback teammate, freshman receiver Damian Wiams, has already enrolled at USC as a transfer and will redshirt the 2007 season.
