Mitchell served as head coach at Casa Grande Union High School in Casa Grande, Arizona from 1993 to 1994. He was the head coach at Morgan State University from 1996 to 1998, compiling a record of 8–24. He served as the running backs coach for the Seattle Seahawks from 1999 to 2007 then was brought by new head coach Jim Zorn to the Washington Redskins staff in 2008 serving as Running Backs Coach and Assistant Head Coach. Mitchell accepted the head coaching position at Southern University on January 11, 2010. During his first season, Mitchell led Southern to a 2–9 record. In 2011, the Jaguars finished with a 4–7 record.