BRENTWOOD — As his teammates celebrated with a growing mob of students on the field, Lipscomb Academy senior running back Mikel Stephen absorbed the scene quietly by himself.
"That’s Stephen, all right," Mustangs coach Trent Dilfer said.
Stephen, a Duke football commitment, hasn’t been rattled by the spotlight he’s been thrust into since transferring from Madison Central (Mississippi) before the season.
He rushed for 123 tough yards on 29 carries, with most of his production coming late in Lipscomb’s 16-6 victory over Ravenwood in Week 2 of the TSSAA football season on Aug. 28. A week earlier, Dilfer went to Stephen in the final moments of the Mustangs’ 27-24 overtime loss at McCallie.
2026 TSSAA season
Getting to know new teammates, learning a new system and learning the culture of a different city isn’t new to Stephen. He played as a high school freshman at Gainesville High (Georgia), then moved back to Madison Central for his sophomore and junior seasons.
“I feel like I’m blessed to play high school football in three different states. A lot of people don’t do that,” Stephen said. “I’d say the main thing is just experience. Me traveling so much, I know so much more. Every state is different. There’s great football in Georgia, great football in Mississippi and great football here.
“It’s been a wild journey, but I know God has good things in store for me.”
Dilfer put in a Wildcat package for Lipscomb (1-1) this week knowing Ravenwood (1-1) would run one itself. Dilfer wanted his defensive starters to see the look, but the Mustangs ran it so well with Stephen that they also used it.
The finished product — with the ball in Stephen’s hands much of the fourth quarter — helped Dilfer earn his first win since returning to Lipscomb before the season.
“I love it. I don’t get scared. I was raised to be a man of action,” Stephen said. “I love student sections, I love away games. This (Ravenwood’s) is probably the best away student section I’ve ever seen.”
Stephen basically fell into the Mustangs' lap, Dilfer said.
“It was a shocker that he was even in Nashville,” Dilfer said. “His dad got a job in Nashville, and they were searching for schools. The next thing I know he’s in my office and we're talking about Lipscomb. I was staring at him and I was like, ‘This is an adult. This isn’t a kid.’”
Stephen’s stoic attitude and Dilfer’s intensity have meshed. They’re film buddies, they text each other and have become close in a short amount of time.
“Going into my senior year I wasn't prepared to transfer. I wanted to finish it out in my hometown and enjoy my family before I left,” Stephen said. “I did a whole lot of praying with God and it was a great opportunity here. (Dilfer) has been awesome. He’s a high energy guy. Always pushing everybody. He played in the league, but he’s really a family guy.”
Tyler Palmateer covers high school sports for The Tennessean. Have a story idea for Tyler? Reach him at tpalmateer@tennessean.com and on the X platform, @tpalmateer83.
He also contributes to The Tennessean's high school sports newsletter, The Bootleg. Subscribe to The Bootleg here.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: What Duke commit Mikel Stephen learned playing high school football in 3 states
