Mike Mickens ND CB’s Coach

PolishDomer

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ulukinatme said:
I'm looking back through the last few pages, ain't nobody mentioned this former Safety?! Currently a high school head coach, was coaching DBs at Brown before that as well as helping out on defensive staff at Western Michigan. He's right down the road in Chicago!

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He's at St Pats...barf
 
Dale

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Michigan Pass Game Coordinator Lamar Morgan doesn’t appear to have been retained by Whit

Has individually coached corners and safeties.

Actually was Minter’s CBs coach at Vandy

Did Jayden Sanders know?
 
GoIrish41

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IrishInOntario said:
I'm legitimately thrilled for Mickens. I hope tbe guy absolutely kills it for the Ravens in his reunion with Hamilton. It's relatively rare that a position coach have sucha profound impact on a program... But Mickens legitimately took a position group (DB) that was long thought to be a weakness at ND due to who they could attract, and turned it into arguably the best secondary group in thr nation for multiple seasons.

Man I hope to see him back to ND as their DC someday!
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Still say Freeman should have made him DC last year. 🤷🏻
 
Jiggafini19Deux

Jiggafini19Deux

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Rocketman84 said:
Resurrect? I mean he was the Senior Def Asst on a team that should've went to the Super Bowl. I'm sure he's not mad at his career or making 3.2 million this past season.
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He was the head coach of Washington and and NFL defensive coordinator. This profession is full of dudes with massive egos. What decisions is he making as a senior defensive assistant? How many people had to find his current role on Wikipedia?

Yes, resurrect.
 
Jiggafini19Deux

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BoredIrish said:
I'd be all in on Jimmy Lake if MF thinks he would a positive addition.

One of the things I love about MF is that he isnt afraid to go big game hunting with his assistants. He went after Matt Luke... Seider and even Partridge. Its like he starts with the guys at the absolute top of the list and makes them say no before he moves on. I love the fact that he isnt afraid of dealing with egos.

I have no idea if Jimmy Lake would be a good fit or not... but I love the fact that Freeman has put ND in a position where they will go after him if they think he is a fit.
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I agree. Ultimately let him decide and if the administration clears the hire, all good.

That being said, his list of candidates probably doesn't have any former ND defensive backs on it, but he did want to talk to any of those guys I'll trust his judgement. Personally, I see the names like Jeff Burris, Tom Zbikowski and Harrison Smith only to be not at all intrigued. If Freeman thinks otherwise about them or any other former ND players looking coach at the highest level to win a National Championship, cool.
 
Jiggafini19Deux

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Richardson played for Bielema at Arkansas, Bielema had him back as an assistant assistant at Illinois. Safe to assume Ash and Partridge know him, right?
 
Irish#1

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A couple of thoughts.....

A) Coaches take lesser jobs all the time just like they take a better job all the time. Many end up working for a guy that use to work for them. There's some ego's out there and many of them would like a chance to prove themselves as the man, but these guys are coaching rats. They love coaching and will take a job to stay in the business, title be damned.

B) There's plenty of talented guys out there that know how to coach. How good we perceive them to be probably isn't fair . There are so many variables they have no control over that comes into play. A DB coach at Rice might be great, but it's difficult for him to recruit to Rice simply because it's Rice and the lack of commitment they have to their FB program.

We had plenty that didn't want Golden because of his history as a HC. He turned out to be pretty good. I'll trust MF to make the right pick regardless of the guys resume.
 
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notredomer23

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Kevin Richardson would be a decent hire in a vacuum.

He can’t be the guy to follow arguably the greatest DB coach in ND history
 
Old Man Mike

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Obviously my mention of Harrison Smith was only for its intrigue and good feeling value -- BUT, Smith was FAMOUSLY the coach-on-the-field organizing all the DBS and LBs pre-snap, and renown as an intuitive all-over-the-field playmaker. (including blitz techniques, timing, etc.) The guy kind of was already coaching the Viking DBacks. ... but, yes, he may have no interest in such a "job."
 
Jiggafini19Deux

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I find it interesting that when ND loses a highly thought of GA, analyst or assistant to the assistant it's always a huge loss.

Then in looking at a guy like Kevin Richardson, he can't possibly be hired by ND to replace someone like Mike Mickens, when in what appears to be reality it was Richardson who has played a major hand at Illinois in development of most of the DBs they have had there who have improved the defense around under Bielema and have been drafted into the NFL.

24 hours ago I had no idea who he was, but the important people making this decision seem to have him on the radar. If he is their guy, so be it. He's been around Aaron Henry and Corey Parker enough to have contributed to the success that U of I secondary has been having.
 
Rocketman84

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Jiggafini19Deux said:
He was the head coach of Washington and and NFL defensive coordinator. This profession is full of dudes with massive egos. What decisions is he making as a senior defensive assistant? How many people had to find his current role on Wikipedia?

Yes, resurrect.
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He's getting paid more to do less at a higher level and the SR Def Asst is essentially the same as Co-DC as they offer input to the DC and Head Coach directly.
 
The Backer

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At this point, I just really trust Freeman to pick a good contributor to the staff. Mickens was extremely valuable in turning around ND's DB room, particularly in finding under recruited high-end talents. It seems like in the last few years that ND has really turned around DB recruiting and we're pulling in some of the best DBs in each recruiting class.

What you really need now is a guy who's great at teaching individual technique within the DC's scheme. It's pretty clear Mickens and Ash didn't see eye-to-eye to start the year. It's important that whoever they bring in is rowing the boat in the same direction as the rest of the staff. If that's Richardson, then LFG.
 
Rocketman84

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Jiggafini19Deux said:
So why come to ND to be DB coach? He sounds overqualified.
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Exactly! I mean he got paid $3.2 million in 2025 which is more than what we paid Chris Ash. If I was him it's the only "NON" HC position I would consider at the collegiate level but how much money would you risk losing to take the position?
 
Dale

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To me it could be similar to the Bullough hire. Young, well regarded as a leader and smart player based on old quotes from Bielema. The issue with that is A) we got Bullough as a GA first and B) ND should be able to shoot higher with what is on the table and on the roster in 2026. Maybe one day, but doesn’t feel like the proper hire today
 
beryirish

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Junkhead said:
I wonder if he has any interest in coaching. At least give him a few weeks of retirement though!
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Harrison Smith - I always thought the perception of him is that he's extremely quiet. He just goes about his business. Not dissing that at all but in terms of coaching and recruiting, that can't be an ideal trait.
 
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