Mike Mickens ND CB’s Coach

[Lberry]

With Golden gone, who's going to help MF? Golden's value isn't just as DC, it's as a guy who has headed up multiple D1 football programs. If Golden leaves this year, as much as we WANT Mickens to succeed him, I'm not sure we can afford to do so. Where's the experience coming from?

MF would be in year 3. That's a lot of experience and while you're always learning, if he still needs a "mentor" below him in year 3, he ain't it IMO. Mickens is a super star and the transition would make sense IMO.

 

[Rockin’Irish]

MF would be in year 3. That's a lot of experience and while you're always learning, if he still needs a "mentor" below him in year 3, he ain't it IMO. Mickens is a super star and the transition would make sense IMO.

We’d also have to assume Mickens wants to be a DC. Freeman and Mickens have been friends for many years, Freeman knows him well and should be a good judge of any transition.

 

[NDFAN2008]

With Golden gone, who's going to help MF? Golden's value isn't just as DC, it's as a guy who has headed up multiple D1 football programs. If Golden leaves this year, as much as we WANT Mickens to succeed him, I'm not sure we can afford to do so. Where's the experience coming from?

I'd give Mickens a shot versus bringing in someone new and having Mickens leave to go somewhere else.

 

[NDMatt91]

I'd give Mickens a shot versus bringing in someone new and having Mickens leave to go somewhere else.

And if they don't promote Mickens, Freeman needs to bring in a DC that is the complete opposite of Golden with respect to recruiting.

 

[BoredIrish]

I think it is a safe bet that Mickens at the very least would get a Co-DC title.

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

With Golden gone, who's going to help MF? Golden's value isn't just as DC, it's as a guy who has headed up multiple D1 football programs. If Golden leaves this year, as much as we WANT Mickens to succeed him, I'm not sure we can afford to do so. Where's the experience coming from?

I understand the element to this and why it is important, but the more games Freeman wins the more he's not going to need an uncle on the staff who is there to help him out. He's about to coach his 20th game at Notre Dame as head coach. That's experience you're typically not going to get elsewhere on a variety of fronts.

I would not underestimate Marcus Freeman simply because he's 37 and has only been a head coach for 20 games. I realize I'm saying this coming off of the 10 Men on the field at the end of the game Fiasco, but in terms of the long game I think he's a smart guy that will always learn from mistakes and setbacks. Especially epic ones like Saturday.

There is no "better get used to it" Tulsa attitude with him.

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

The way this secondary has performed this season, you'd have to suspect that a DC opportunity is coming for Mickens. He really has done a great job with this group.

 

[irishff1014]

The way this secondary has performed this season, you'd have to suspect that a DC opportunity is coming for Mickens. He really has done a great job with this group.

He has done a good job since the day he stepped on campus.

 

[IA4irish]

Mickens is a stud. He will be advancing career wise at some point. If Golden leaves, it would not surprise me to see Mickens get the dc job. He is too good to stay as cb coach

 

[Katzenboyer]

Unlike the Parker "step up," I would be completely fine with Mickens as the DC if/when Golden leaves this offseason. Think he's a star.

 

[ThePiombino]

Unlike the Parker "step up," I would be completely fine with Mickens as the DC if/when Golden leaves this offseason. Think he's a star.

I dunno, he may very well be a star, but can we afford another learn-on-the job HC or coordinator?

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[IrishSpartan]

We CANNOT let him leave. Pay him and dont let him leave until we here about golden. The nightmare would be him leaving before Golden gets an offer

 

[notredomer23]

I dunno, he may very well be a star, but can we afford another learn-on-the job HC or coordinator?

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I'd prefer co-DC with an experienced LB coach to be the other co-DC that has some extensive time calling a defense. Mickens deserves an opportunity but it's a biiiiig jump from CB coach to DC

 

[Plankton]

I dunno, he may very well be a star, but can we afford another learn-on-the job HC or coordinator?

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At the very least, Freeman can provide some oversight and assistance if needed, given his coaching background. The large issue with Parker aside from it being a very uninspired hire is that Freeman has no offensive background and is incapable of providing any true counsel on that side of the ball.

 

[NDohio]

If Golden stays then Mickens needs an associate head coach type title and bump in pay.

 

[ab2cmiller]

I dunno, he may very well be a star, but can we afford another learn-on-the job HC or coordinator?

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Some workout and some don't. Clark Lea did an amazing job when given a shot. Certainly depends on the circumstances and if the head coach thinks the coach has a very strategic mindset.

Many people thought Hartline would be an amazing coordinator. Maybe he eventually will. I was skeptical. Just because a person can recruit well and coach up position players, doesn't mean that he will be a good coordinator.

I have no idea if Mickens has the strategic mindset for the coordinator position. Certainly would be open to it if the coach thinks he is ready. Just like at pOSU where Day is there to help ease Hartline into taking over all play calling eventually, the same thing could happen at ND with Freeman helping Mickens initially.

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

I dunno, he may very well be a star, but can we afford another learn-on-the job HC or coordinator?

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That's what scares me.

The scenario of going into 2024 with Parker and Mickens at the left and right of Freeman with Hartman and this veteran defense gone is not one I want to gamble on.

I get the impression that NFL people are seeing what Al Golden is doing, know of his NFL assistant coaching experience, and come NFL Black Monday the carousel is going to start moving fast.

 

[Katzenboyer]

I dunno, he may very well be a star, but can we afford another learn-on-the job HC or coordinator?

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Think that positional coaches on the defensive side make for an easier transition (think Lea from LB coach to DC) than it is on the offensive side (see, Parker).

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

Think that positional coaches on the defensive side make for an easier transition (think Lea from LB coach to DC) than it is on the offensive side (see, Parker).

This was up to Kelly to decide about Lea as it will be Freeman to decide about Mickens.

I'd really prefer an experienced DC who likes to recruit get in here and handle business. If that means losing Mickens, so be it, assuming Mickens is interested in being a DC and being one at ND to begin with.

For as much as Kelly hiring his GVSU boys made me nervous, Freeman promoting Parker regardless of those circumstances and promoting Mickens regardless of those would make me rather uneasy. It would deserve to play out, of course.

 

[CanadalovesND]

I can see this happening:

Golden leaves either to take a DC position in the NFL or become a head coach somewhere.

Freeman promotes two in-house assistance coaches to co-DCs. Mickens - pass game, Washington - run game.

Freeman calls the plays.

Max Bullough promoted to LB coach.

 

[notredomer23]

I can see this happening:

Golden leaves either to take a DC position in the NFL or become a head coach somewhere.

Freeman promotes two in-house assistance coaches to co-DCs. Mickens - pass game, Washington - run game.

Freeman calls the plays.

Max Bullough promoted to LB coach.

 

[Pops Freshenmeyer]

I don't mind the idea of Freeman promoting a young coach into DC with the idea of mentoring him. But Freeman going so far as to call plays scares me.

 

[ThePiombino]

I would feel a lot better about Freeman promoting Mickens if he's able to stabilize the offensive coordinator situation. Otherwise, it's a recipe for disaster IMO. Just asking too much of a young, inexperienced HC and staff overall.

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[Katzenboyer]

I dunno, he may very well be a star, but can we afford another learn-on-the job HC or coordinator?

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This happens pretty frequently. Kirby Smart was the DB coach for Bama in '07 before being promoted to DC in 2008.

It's a risk, but so is grabbing an outside candidate. If Freeman is comfortable with Mickens, I'm much more comfortable with that than the Parker promotion, as the defensive side of the ball was Freeman's focus prior to getting the head coaching job.

 

[NDMatt91]

This happens pretty frequently. Kirby Smart was the DB coach for Bama in '07 before being promoted to DC in 2008.

It's a risk, but so is grabbing an outside candidate. If Freeman is comfortable with Mickens, I'm much more comfortable with that than the Parker promotion, as the defensive side of the ball was Freeman's focus prior to getting the head coaching job.

Jeremy Pruitt was a DB coach at Bama for a few years before he got the FSU DC job in 2013. Say what you want about him as a HC, but he was an elite DC.

 

[PutuporShutup]

This happens pretty frequently. Kirby Smart was the DB coach for Bama in '07 before being promoted to DC in 2008.

It's a risk, but so is grabbing an outside candidate. If Freeman is comfortable with Mickens, I'm much more comfortable with that than the Parker promotion, as the defensive side of the ball was Freeman's focus prior to getting the head coaching job.

No one knows other than probably Freeman and Golden if he has the mind and ability for DC at a place like ND right now.

Like you said, freeman's expertise is D so much easier to take a little bit of a risk their than O, despite him hiring Parker. Saban has taken less experienced DCs than OCs because his specialty is D.

 

[irishff1014]

 

[Junkhead]

This secondary is the best I've ever seen at ND, or maybe elsewhere for that matter. Id be fine with Mickens as DC on that fact alone. Also, this should be in a different thread, but lets not forget that Xavier Watts was a 3 star recruit, at receiver, not even as a db.

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

This happens pretty frequently. Kirby Smart was the DB coach for Bama in '07 before being promoted to DC in 2008.

It's a risk, but so is grabbing an outside candidate. If Freeman is comfortable with Mickens, I'm much more comfortable with that than the Parker promotion, as the defensive side of the ball was Freeman's focus prior to getting the head coaching job.

Kirby Smart also walked into a tremendous amount of infrastructure at Alabama when he became DC. Pruitt did at Florida State as well.

Suppose Golden leaves for the League and Mickens gets the ND DC job. Mickens is going to take over a 2024 defense that loses 7 Grad starters alone. Elko walked into a shit show. Lea took over what Elko had begun. I don't know that Mickens would have it that smooth when you're losing as many starters as this group is going to.

Zero chance expectations are tempered, though.

 

[Te'o4Heisman]

Kirby Smart also walked into a tremendous amount of infrastructure at Alabama when he became DC. Pruitt did at Florida State as well.

Suppose Golden leaves for the League and Mickens gets the ND DC job. Mickens is going to take over a 2024 defense that loses 7 Grad starters alone. Elko walked into a shit show. Lea took over what Elko had begun. I don't know that Mickens would have it that smooth when you're losing as many starters as this group is going to.

Zero chance expectations are tempered, though.

Pitt, wake and Stanford absolutely have to be games where guys like Ausberry, Gray, Sneed, Bowen, Hinish, Ford, Traore, Burnham, Rubio, Vernon, Onye, Junior, Mickey and maybe even Shuler, Barnes and Bell get a decent amount of snaps.