 Mitchell was also a catalyst for the integration of college football in the state of Texas, as he instituted a policy allowing "any African American students who showed interest in the football team to be given a fair chance" while he was the head coach at North Texas.He extended a partial scholarship offer to incoming African-American freshmen Abner Haynes and Leon King in 1956, promoting them to the varsity squad in 1957.Haynes and King both made their varsity debuts on the road against UTEP (then known as Texas Western) on September 21st, 1957, becoming the first African-Americans to play major college football in Texas.