Marko finding his spots for Nevada

RENO " Marko Mitchell's forte is stretching defenses and making big plays. It's what attracted the Wolf Pack coaching staff to him three years ago when he played at Mesa Community College in Arizona.

Mitchell played one season at Mesa Community College in Arizona and averaged more than 21 yards a catch. It was good enough to punch his ticket his ticket to Division I football.

It's been a good match for both parties.

Mitchell caught 39 passes for 439 yards and four touchdowns in his sophomore season, and followed that up with 53 catches for 1,129 yards and eight scores in 2007.

Thus far, he's caught 15 balls for 254 yards and two scores, and with some big games the rest of the way, he could easily get into the top 10 for career receiving yardage. He would join some elite company in Nichiren Flowers, Jeff Wright, Alex Van Dyke, Geoff Notsy and Nate Burleson.

A guy like Mitchell is invaluable because he has the speed to run the longer routes and open things up underneath for the Pack's possession receivers. However, as Mitchell has found out, the game is a lot faster than he thought and he has had to learn to run some shorter routes, too.

"When I first got here, I didn't know the speed of the game was so fast," Mitchell said before Tuesday's workout at Wolf Pack Park. "I never really had to run those shorter routes before. In junior college, I would just take off. When I came here, I really had to start all over.

"Coach (Chris) Ault has talked to me about running more precise routes ever since I got here. When I first got here, I didn't study the techniques of the defensive backs, knowing whether they were going to bump me off the line or drop back. I've started to look at more film and studied my opponents more.

"I just wasn't used to it. If I have an opportunity at the next level, I just can't take off routes."

Route running has been a work in progress according to receivers coach Scott Baumgartner.

"The short routes," Baumgartner said when asked if there were particular routes Mitchell needed more work. "He's big (tall, 6-foot-4) and long legged. He needs to work coming in and out of breaks."

Mitchell, who had seven catches for 147 yards in the loss to Texas Tech, said he didn't set any personal goals for himself before the season. Assistant coach Nigel Burton said that Mitchell should get to the 1,500-yard mark, but to reach that he'll have to start getting some big games like he did last season when he eclipsed the 100-yard mark four times.

Mitchell enjoyed efforts of 135 yards versus Fresno State, 132 at New Mexico State, 144 at San Jose State and 161 at Boise State.

Both Ault and Baumgartner have talked about playing more consistently; making more plays and putting up those same kind of numbers every game. Mitchell and Mike McCoy are the go-to guys that quarterback Colin Kaepernick looks at when he needs a big play/catch.

"I'm pleased with what I've seen of Marko on game day," Ault said. "He's running better after the catch. He needs to be the guy to make the big plays.

"That being said, we want him to play with more consistency. He should be our leading receiver. He should be one of the leading receivers in our conference."

Mitchell caught a 42-yard TD pass from Kaepernick for the Pack's last score in a 69-17 drubbing at the hands of the sixth-ranked Missouri Tigers. There was a chance for another big play earlier in the game along the sideline that Mitchell was unable to make.

"He needs to be more consistent," Baumgartner said. " We expect him to go up and get them (the passes) with his height.

"He's doing a nice job (overall). He's playing better than he did when he came here, and he's playing with more effort all the time."

- Contact Darrell Moody at dmoody@nevadaappeal.com, or by calling (775) 881-1281

MITCHELL BY THE NUMBERS

4 The number of 100-yard games Mitchell had in 2007

5 Had a stretch of five straight games with a touchdown catch in 2007

8 The number of touchdowns in 2007

23 His rank nationally in yards per game (86.8)