Notre Dame Hires Mike Brown as WR Coach

[INLaw]

That’s not how that works for a few

RB and wr coach are your recruiting positions. OC DC are better be good coaches schemers helps if they can recruit. RB and WR are where you hide your ace recruiters. Good coaching there is a bonus.

 

[NDWarrior]

I do agree we have to now give Brownie a chance to see if he at least excels at WR development. If he tanks there, MFMF better start looking. If Brownie could just develop at least one WR superstar (I know a team game) who just kills it and shows HS recruits and TP-ers what can be done at ND as a WR, that would go a long way to giving WR recruiting a boost. 💥⚡

 

[FU BK]

Glad to see people crucifying a coach, that has coached in 0 games for Notre Dame. I want to see the Irish win as badly as everyone else but holy fuck, let's see if he can at least develop what he has on the roster and go from there. Can you blame anyone for going somewhere else with the shit show offense that we ran last year? If he can't develop guys, then yes, reevaluate his hire. But at least give the guy a chance. I highly doubted any of the 3 of robinson, Hines, or meadows would ever commit here in the first place

 

[NDQuebec]

Does his recruiting need to be better? Yes absolutely but let’s realistically see what he does as a coach and maybe give him more than one off season to start screaming he needs replaced. Fans are so unrealistic sometimes

Well, some poster above (INLaw) said that WR and RB coaches are recruiting positions. Talent acquisition is 90% of that job. I believe that to be true. And Freeman said that all of his coaches must be good recruiters. This year's WR haul is just plain awful, MAC like as another poster said above. It appears, from what I've read, that 2026 might not be much better. In that context, it is not unrealistic to express the sentiment that Brown is a major concern.

I might have missed something, but Freeman screwed the pooch when he hired Stuckey instead of Sheppard, based mainly on one interview. This WR class is just as bad as Del's. Soon enough, people will write on this board to say "He gone...Brown (instead of Del)". And Freeman's former philosophy of playing "Tressel ball" is not likely to attract WR recruits either.

It will be ironic to see BK stealing a Freeman recruit (Meadows) from Freeman. Maybe this time BK is really shopping down a different isle from Freeman. Either that or they are both shopping down the same isle but Kelly takes what he wants and leaves the rest to Freeman.

 

[PutuporShutup]

Glad to see people crucifying a coach, that has coached in 0 games for Notre Dame. I want to see the Irish win as badly as everyone else but holy fuck, let's see if he can at least develop what he has on the roster and go from there. Can you blame anyone for going somewhere else with the shit show offense that we ran last year? If he can't develop guys, then yes, reevaluate his hire. But at least give the guy a chance. I highly doubted any of the 3 of robinson, Hines, or meadows would ever commit here in the first place

We landed 2 of 3 like that last year

He wasn’t a popular hire and wr recruiting is going awful.

I’m still trying to figure out this “shat himself” story

 

[allenm5333]

Glad to see people crucifying a coach, that has coached in 0 games for Notre Dame. I want to see the Irish win as badly as everyone else but holy fuck, let's see if he can at least develop what he has on the roster and go from there. Can you blame anyone for going somewhere else with the shit show offense that we ran last year? If he can't develop guys, then yes, reevaluate his hire. But at least give the guy a chance. I highly doubted any of the 3 of robinson, Hines, or meadows would ever commit here in the first place

Well he did coach the bowl game. That’s enough

 

[INLaw]

Well, some poster above (INLaw) said that WR and RB coaches are recruiting positions. Talent acquisition is 90% of that job. I believe that to be true. And Freeman said that all of his coaches must be good recruiters. This year's WR haul is just plain awful, MAC like as another poster said above. It appears, from what I've read, that 2026 might not be much better. In that context, it is not unrealistic to express the sentiment that Brown is a major concern.

I might have missed something, but Freeman screwed the pooch when he hired Stuckey instead of Sheppard, based mainly on one interview. This WR class is just as bad as Del's. Soon enough, people will write on this board to say "He gone...Brown (instead of Del)". And Freeman's former philosophy of playing "Tressel ball" is not likely to attract WR recruits either.

It will be ironic to see BK stealing a Freeman recruit (Meadows) from Freeman. Maybe this time BK is really shopping down a different isle from Freeman. Either that or they are both shopping down the same isle but Kelly takes what he wants and leaves the rest to Freeman.

Two things to be clear.
Deland has been a great recruiter. This time maybe took two easy ones planning to leave but also it was known by all that this is a historically bad rb class and anyone worth fighting for was never coming here.

WR is just a flop and as Quebec pointed out multiple of the podcasts are letting slip the “26 WR board remains unclear”

 

[a mike]

Well, some poster above (INLaw) said that WR and RB coaches are recruiting positions. Talent acquisition is 90% of that job. I believe that to be true. And Freeman said that all of his coaches must be good recruiters. This year's WR haul is just plain awful, MAC like as another poster said above. It appears, from what I've read, that 2026 might not be much better. In that context, it is not unrealistic to express the sentiment that Brown is a major concern.

I might have missed something, but Freeman screwed the pooch when he hired Stuckey instead of Sheppard, based mainly on one interview. This WR class is just as bad as Del's. Soon enough, people will write on this board to say "He gone...Brown (instead of Del)". And Freeman's former philosophy of playing "Tressel ball" is not likely to attract WR recruits either.

It will be ironic to see BK stealing a Freeman recruit (Meadows) from Freeman. Maybe this time BK is really shopping down a different isle from Freeman. Either that or they are both shopping down the same isle but Kelly takes what he wants and leaves the rest to Freeman.

Look out!

Saying something bad about an asst coach and definitely suggesting Our Beloved might have made an error is going to get The Pearl Clutching Clique after you in droves

And giving props to Kelly whilst simultaneously being a Big Meanie to muhhh MFMF?......Oh boy, it's gonna get ugly

You'll probably be accused of killing baby Jesus but definitely of yelling at your dog at a minimum

As for myself, I agree with every word you said

 

[lcaps20]

Look out!

Saying something bad about an asst coach and definitely suggesting Our Beloved might have made an error is going to get The Pearl Clutching Clique after you in droves

And giving props to Kelly whilst simultaneously being a Big Meanie to muhhh MFMF?......Oh boy, it's gonna get ugly

You'll probably be accused of killing baby Jesus but definitely of yelling at your dog at a minimum

As for myself, I agree with every word you said

View attachment 3056021

Thank god you are here to point this stuff out to us. If you weren't we'd spend all year thinking Notre Dame is the best team in the country and never loses a game. I'm glad you are here to point out things that only you can see.

Fucking donkey

 

[Crazy Balki]

I don't get the hate Brown is getting.

He's climbing an uphill battle due to ND's inability to recruit and develop WR under Kelly. I mean, I get that you gotta get the guys, but Brown has been here all of 6 months and has no tangible production to show recruits at ND.

 

[T-Boone]

Everyone went into last season positively deluded about our WR coach and players and things turned out quickly to the opposite.
Are fans reverse psyching in a good coach and WR season?

 

[Crazy Balki]

Everyone went into last season positively deluded about our WR coach and players and things turned out quickly to the opposite.
Are fans reverse psyching in a good coach and WR season?

I take it back, Brown is a terrible coach and I firmly believe he's actually a secret member of the Taliban, brought in to sabotage catholicism's primary football program to punish us infidels.

 

[PutuporShutup]

I don't get the hate Brown is getting.

He's climbing an uphill battle due to ND's inability to recruit and develop WR under Kelly. I mean, I get that you gotta get the guys, but Brown has been here all of 6 months and has no tangible production to show recruits at ND.

Kelly’s wr recruiting wasn’t great be he/they developed them. Never once during a season, even 2016 or 2020 did I think wr was one of our biggest issues.

the two years under freeman have been the worst wr play in decades(since 2007) , freeman didn’t have numbers but he has highly recruited players in

Thomas colzie styles lenzy Tobias. He also couldn’t get Austin to come back and he didn’t get any portal help. Yes he didn’t walk into a great situation, but hiring Stuckey and promoting parker were epic failures, and brown was and is a questionable hire as well.

 

[allenm5333]

Kelly’s wr recruiting wasn’t great be he/they developed them. Never once during a season, even 2016 or 2020 did I think wr was one of our biggest issues.

the two years under freeman have been the worst wr play in decades(since 2007) , freeman didn’t have numbers but he has highly recruited players in

Thomas colzie styles lenzy Tobias. He also couldn’t get Austin to come back and he didn’t get any portal help. Yes he didn’t walk into a great situation, but hiring Stuckey and promoting parker were epic failures, and brown was and is a questionable hire as well.

Again, was this a Freeman choice or Rees choice? Remember it was Rees who was intimidated by Shepherd. Imagine if we hired him! Jack gave Rees too much influence and then Rees bailed

 

[irishandy]

Does his recruiting need to be better? Yes absolutely but let’s realistically see what he does as a coach and maybe give him more than one off season to start screaming he needs replaced. Fans are so unrealistic sometimes

Enough said in the bold.

However I do agree that the WR position needs to get better in recruiting and better production on the field.

Posters seem to be forgetting how great of year Greathouse had last season for a freshman, the potential that Cam Williams and Micah Gilbert can have on the field this season, the surprise of Faison, and the portal additions for this season.

 

[stlnd01]

Posters seem to be forgetting how great of year Greathouse had last season for a freshman, the potential that Cam Williams and Micah Gilbert can have on the field this season, the surprise of Faison, and the portal additions for this season.

Yes. Stuckey brought in the best back-to-back WR classes probably since the Weis years. But he couldn’t develop for shit. Let’s see what Brown can do with that raw material before we toss him out the door?

 

[irishandy]

Yes. Stuckey brought in the best back-to-back WR classes probably since the Weis years. But he couldn’t develop for shit. Let’s see what Brown can do with that raw material before we toss him out the door?

I would agree, but how short is his leash? Brown is one of Freeman's buddies, Kelly hired his buddies when he was at ND, sometimes the buddy system doesn't work.

At the end of June/beginning of July ND was the favorite to land Meadows, Robinson, & Hines. Here's to hoping ND can at least go 1-3 (not getting my hopes up).

 

[PutuporShutup]

Enough said in the bold.

However I do agree that the WR position needs to get better in recruiting and better production on the field.

Posters seem to be forgetting how great of year Greathouse had last season for a freshman, the potential that Cam Williams and Micah Gilbert can have on the field this season, the surprise of Faison, and the portal additions for this season.

He would have had a great year if not for injury - greathouse that is

 

[irishandy]

He would have had a great year if not for injury - greathouse that is

What Greathouse did at last year's B&G game, he showed during the season FOR A FRESHMAN. It's too bad about his injury because he would've had more stats and he potentially could've been Hartman's #1 WR.

 

[stlnd01]

I would agree, but how short is his leash? Brown is one of Freeman's buddies, Kelly hired his buddies when he was at ND, sometimes the buddy system doesn't work.

At the end of June/beginning of July ND was the favorite to land Meadows, Robinson, & Hines. Here's to hoping ND can at least go 1-3 (not getting my hopes up).

I mean our whole passing game staff - Denbrock, Gino, Brown - is 2019-2021 Cincy. It’ll work, or it won’t. We’ll see.

 

[irishandy]

I mean our whole passing game staff - Denbrock, Gino, Brown - is 2019-2021 Cincy. It’ll work, or it won’t. We’ll see.

Denbrock has been here before, Gino has had some good QB's to work with at ND, and we'll see if Brown fits in.

 

[Irish4life]

The good news for Brown is that the WR room has actual talent in it. If we have a good offense and our WRs produce, I think it will pay off going forward, 25 class and beyond. Also, gotta remember....Mike Mickens' first CB class at ND was Philip Riley, Ryan Barnes, Jojo Johnson, and Chance Tucker.

 

[INLaw]

The good news for Brown is that the WR room has actual talent in it. If we have a good offense and our WRs produce, I think it will pay off going forward, 25 class and beyond. Also, gotta remember....Mike Mickens' first CB class at ND was Philip Riley, Ryan Barnes, Jojo Johnson, and Chance Tucker.

Which on paper was a nice class. Probably biggest negative delta between potential and production I can ever remember.

 

[rtrn2glory]

Has not had a good start off the field. Hopefully he can develop the guys already on campus and then we have a great season and we can snag some talent later in the cycle

 

[NDFAN2008]

does Brown not get credit for the recruiting he did in the portal? We landed 3 studs so anyone that wants to shit on Brown can kick rocks let’s see how his guys perform this season we can judge him on the 2026 class

 

[Crazy Balki]

Kelly’s wr recruiting wasn’t great be he/they developed them. Never once during a season, even 2016 or 2020 did I think wr was one of our biggest issues.

the two years under freeman have been the worst wr play in decades(since 2007) , freeman didn’t have numbers but he has highly recruited players in

Thomas colzie styles lenzy Tobias. He also couldn’t get Austin to come back and he didn’t get any portal help. Yes he didn’t walk into a great situation, but hiring Stuckey and promoting parker were epic failures, and brown was and is a questionable hire as well.

Honestly, no, Kelly didn't really develop them. Between 2017 and 2022, which WR developed? I can't think of a single one. The closest is perhaps Braden Lenzy, but it took him until his final season to really turn into anything more than a jet sweep threat.

And numbers are kind of important. You listed 5 guys spanning a whopping FIVE CLASSES. That is retention that borders on sheer incompetence. You effectively are inheriting a room that has an average of 1 WR per class. That ain't gonna cut it. You effectively have to hope and pray that virtually EVERY one of those guys hits, and it's not like any of those guys were sure-fire studs.

And as for not addressing it via the portal, I don't think that was a Freeman issue as much as it was a ND issue. ND has been pretty notoriously late to the party when it comes to adapting to the changing collegiate landscape. They're doing it now, but it sounded very much like ND was reluctant to changing back when the portal was new and scary to them.

 

[INLaw]

does Brown not get credit for the recruiting he did in the portal? We landed 3 studs so anyone that wants to shit on Brown can kick rocks let’s see how his guys perform this season we can judge him on the 2026 class

Why would he and if your gonna tell me to kick rocks you can eat nuts 🥜

 

[IA4irish]

Does anyone know why Brown has not been successful recruiting for us? Is he terrible with recruits? Marcus hired him so quickly and that man really stresses recruiting. What’s up here?

 

[CanadalovesND]

Does anyone know why Brown has not been successful recruiting for us? Is he terrible with recruits? Marcus hired him so quickly and that man really stresses recruiting. What’s up here?

They worked together at UofC, and Brown showed a really good job of developing the WRs he had in his room. He wouldn’t have hired him if he didn’t think he can recruit. Brown was never going to be able to sign top WRs at Cincy and only had one year to do it at Wisconsin, which again, historically isn’t a school that signs top WRs.

 

[PutuporShutup]

The good news for Brown is that the WR room has actual talent in it. If we have a good offense and our WRs produce, I think it will pay off going forward, 25 class and beyond. Also, gotta remember....Mike Mickens' first CB class at ND was Philip Riley, Ryan Barnes, Jojo Johnson, and Chance Tucker.

These are good points… but a stud wr coach could lean on past examples… browns like .. “you know Alec pierce”… also freeman not using portal last 2 years hurt us too