The crowd for last season's opening game Sept. 7, 2019
LTU file photo.

Lawrence Technological University announced the promotion of defensive coordinator Avante D. Mitchell to head football coach, effective immediately. 

Mitchell, who joined the LTU coaching staff last year, had also served as recruiting coordinator for the LTU program. 

Mitchell succeeds Jeff Duvendeck, who left the program after the 2019 season. 

Mitchell has 18 years of football experience. A graduate of St. Martin De Porres High School in Detroit, Mitchell played at NCAA Division I Louisville and Division II Wayne State University, and had coaching assignments at Northwood University, Taylor University, and Concordia University. He has also had coaching experience in high school all-star games and prominent player camps. 

Said Lawrence Tech President Virinder Moudgil: “LTU is confident that Coach Mitchell has extensive experience at the NAIA level to take the football program in the right direction.”

Lawrence Tech announced the addition of football as a varsity sport in January 2017. The team played a limited schedule in the fall of 2018 and played its first full varsity schedule in the fall of 2019. The Blue Devils play in the Mid-States Football Association, a conference in the NAIA.