Al Golden

[Katzenboyer]

Matt Freeman at ISD thinks it'll be Mickens if (when) Golden accepts the Bengals' job.

 

[IrishLax]

Gotcha. I was just thinking back to when he got hired and they looking back at this thread where Sampson reported:

“Freeman wanted experience in the role, something that was noticeably absent in Notre Dame’s Fiesta Bowl collapse against Oklahoma State. But a willingness to run the head coach’s scheme was non-negotiable.”

Obviously, that probably changed as he worked more and more with Golden State

FWIW I could be wrong and it was more "I want you to run this how you want" and Golden was like "sure" and it just worked... all I know for certain is that Golden liked working with Freeman because Freeman trusted him and didn't meddle with his gameplans, etc. Freeman also would routinely consult with Golden on all kinds of stuff.

Rees he thought was overcooking things and too pass happy, Parker had no clue what he was doing. Denbrock is treated similar to Golden where Denbrock is experienced, proven, and professional so Freeman doesn't feel a need to look over his shoulder in the kitchen.

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

The counterpoint to this is look at what Kelly did with Clark Lea and building continuity. Clark Lea had a much thinner resume than Mickens, etc. Everything I have heard is that they have been grooming Mickens to take over in this eventuality and it's so that they can keep running the same systems with the same guys using the same terminology.

I think it would make sense if Freeman believes Mickens is ready now and they're going to keep the same system in place. That's logical decision making. Whoever the hire is, it has to be for the right reasons, not because someone is a good recruiter at as a position coach and he mustn't ever be allowed to leave.

It also doesn't guarantee that Mickens is going to walk into every five star living room, wave a magic wand and land every defensive lineman he wants.

 

[Bane]

Matt Freeman at ISD thinks it'll be Mickens if (when) Golden accepts the Bengals' job.

I think this is the right move at the end of the day. Bringing in Golden was good last time, because we were going through a head coaching change, and despite some wanting Elston, there wasn't a natural replacement (in my opinion) on staff, Mickens feels like the guy. He also seems to have been being groomed for this role.

FWIW I could be wrong and it was more "I want you to run this how you want" and Golden was like "sure" and it just worked... all I know for certain is that Golden liked working with Freeman because Freeman trusted him and didn't meddle with his gameplans, etc. Freeman also would routinely consult with Golden on all kinds of stuff.

Rees he thought was overcooking things and too pass happy, Parker had no clue what he was doing. Denbrock is treated similar to Golden where Denbrock is experienced, proven, and professional so Freeman doesn't feel a need to look over his shoulder in the kitchen.

What a world of difference between Parker and Denbrock. Not having to worry about your OC has probably freed up Freeman to do so much more big picture stuff, and really grow in his HC role.

 

[BoredIrish]

Matt Freeman at ISD thinks it'll be Mickens if (when) Golden accepts the Bengals' job.

It wouldnt shock me if Kerry Combs was hired to coach DB / Safeties and to be a veteran consult for Mickens.

 

[Dale]

It wouldnt shock me if Kerry Combs was hired to coach DB / Safeties and to be a veteran consult for Mickens.

Coombs I would hire in the recruiting office, not sure he really needs to be near a field

 

[DomeFieldAdvantage]

Spitballing other names:

Colin Hitschler: Cincy connections. Was at Wiscy for a year before Deboer got him to go to Alabama. Fired after the season, which is surprising because their defense still ranked high and a few bama fans reacting to it thought the defense got better as the year went on. He was co-DC, so maybe the turnaround happened when the other one got more involved? Interestingly, despite that pretty good record, has not taken another job. I has only been three weeks, but also maybe having him as an option is why some on the beat are so sure it won't be Mickens' job outright.

Lyle Hemphill: DC at James Madison team that ranked #7 in defensive pass efficiency and #9 in unadjusted defensive possession efficiency. Was DC at Wake Forest until Elko brought him to Duke with him, first as safeties coach before adding the co-DC title his second year.
Just hired by Texas A&M

Bill Brechin: DC at Miami Ohio that finished #4 in defensive pass efficiency and #19 in unadjusted defensive possession efficiency. Has actually worked at ND before, but on the offensive side of the ball from 2010-2012 as an intern/assistant, so Denbrock should know him. As another ND connection (of the many at Miami), having coached both DB spots at different times they have Robert Blanton.

 

[IrishSpartan]

Okay so if we lose Golden there is only one man I take over Mickens and that is Anthony Weaver. AW would not be there long though so I prefer MM. Now that’s out of the way time to talk about that open spot.

What position do y’all think we would higher? To me it has to be either Safeties or a damn good vyper/edge specialist. I would like a charismatic top end recruiter but that have to be technically sound first.

 

[Jeffwantpoppers]

I think Freeman was setting up Mickens a month or so ago when he said he was ready for a DC job.

 

[DomeFieldAdvantage]

Okay so if we lose Golden there is only one man I take over Mickens and that is Anthony Weaver. AW would not be there long though so I prefer MM. Now that’s out of the way time to talk about that open spot.

What position do y’all think we would higher? To me it has to be either Safeties or a damn good vyper/edge specialist. I would like a charismatic top end recruiter but that have to be technically sound first.

It matters a lot less now. We could hire as many people as we want to replace him. The only coaching limit now is essentially recruiters and gameday headsets.

With that in mind, we would probably want one of the official coaches to be a DB coach or one of the spots so recruits have a coach at that position to talk to outside of Mickens. But I would probably take some of that extra money we got from the playoff and invest in getting the DB positions split (assuming Mickens is DC) AND getting another DL coach. Washington has been good at developing, but it might be good to have him concentrating on the interior where we probably really need some big jumps from players this year.

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

Christian Parker, Eagles Secondary coach: ND analyst in 2017.

Charlie Partridge, Colts DL coach: former FAU HC, DC at Pitt and Wisconsin. Awesome recruiter. Knows Florida inside and out.

Steve Clinkscale, Chargers DB coach: former DC at Michigan and Cincinnati.

 

[GoldenTate(r)Tots]

Part of why Mickens makes sense to me is scheme continuity but perhaps the thing that I noticed most this year that I'm thinking (and hoping) he would be able to continue is the culture/attitude about the team. It just felt different, despite all our attempts to think it's he same ole ND that will set us up for hope and come crashing down. Yeah we didn't win the natty, but the culture and overall attitude of this team was something different and good. To me, that's worth giving him a shot.

 

[Pennick44]

I think a lot of people were calling for Elston to be promoted to DC. Essentially, the replacement is on the staff…Elston.

Elston had been passed over countless times for a DC job. Mickens is so much more accomplished.

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

Elston had been passed over countless times for a DC job. Mickens is so much more accomplished.

This is a stretch. Mickens had coached corners his entire career up until this season when he coached DBs after O'Leary left.

Elston has coached DL, ST, LB, has been recruiting coordinator at multiple stops and has held the assistant head coach title at two different programs. He's also been coaching twice as long as Mickens has. Maybe he's been passed over for DC jobs, but Mickens being more accomplished in terms of coaching career isn't remotely close to being true if 10 different professionals looked at their resumes side by side

The point remains: There are fans on this board that would rather promote assistant coaches and or give them raises rather than see them leave. If Freeman determines Mickens is going to replace Golden, fine, but up until now the majority of reasons I've seen to make Mickens the DC is because he recruits well and has done a good job developing corners. That's not good enough rationale. On this board and others. For years we've seen guys come and go and more often than not it was the end of the world. Elston was the latest example. Check the threads, check the posts. The receipts are there. Hell, people thought O'Leary couldn't recruit for shit and suddenly when he left there was handwringing.

Now if Freeman and Golden have been bringing him along these last three years to hand him the seat when the time comes and that time is now, so be it. Works with continuity and all that.

I'll admit 100% that I'm handwringing about Golden leaving and for that I want the best possible DC candidate to replace him. If that's Mickens, fine, but it better be because he's the best possible guy not because he recruits.

 

[pumpdog20]

Matt Freeman at ISD thinks it'll be Mickens if (when) Golden accepts the Bengals' job.

Yeah.. well Sampson said no.

 

[The Backer]

Now if Freeman and Golden have been bringing him along these last three years to hand him the seat when the time comes and that time is now, so be it. Works with continuity and all that.

I'll admit 100% that I'm handwringing about Golden leaving and for that I want the best possible DC candidate to replace him. If that's Mickens, fine, but it better be because he's the best possible guy not because he recruits.

I think the issue has more to do with where we're at in the hiring cycle. Traditionally, we might have had a shot at getting a guy like Haines from IU, but playing so late into the year meant IU had a chance to put together a big contract with a buyout for him. Most of the more promising candidates have probably been snatched up and spring ball is just around the corner. I'm not seeing a great candidate out there.

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

I think the issue has more to do with where we're at in the hiring cycle. Traditionally, we might have had a shot at getting a guy like Haines from IU, but playing so late into the year meant IU had a chance to put together a big contract with a buyout for him. Most of the more promising candidates have probably been snatched up and spring ball is just around the corner. I'm not seeing a great candidate out there.

I get the buyouts, but timing has never stopped these programs from making a move or any of these guys from doing so either on their own accord. I think to a degree you are correct in that the timing presents on obstacle for sure, but it's nothing that can't get hashed out when there is money involved and an interested party ready to make the move.

Golden leaves, you promote Mickens, you still have to find a defensive replacement for Golden at that point. He won't be a coordinator getting coordinator money, but it's a hire all the same in the same timeline.

You bring up a very good point, though. I'd much rather be playing deep into January and have good assistants leave to be replaced, though. I'll take that more often than not.

 

[StPaul_Irish]

If AG leaves, I would like to have another DC w/ prior head coaching experience. Someone who can be a sounding board for Freeman who we must not forget is still a young head coach. I think having experienced OC/DC has been tremendous for ND and for MFMF.

 

[FDNYIrish1]

I think a big part of AG value at the start was experience and someone MF could lean into. I don’t think that’s a concern anymore. With Al recently agreeing to an extension, there wasn’t a path for Mickens to be promoted here and was going to have to cut his teeth elsewhere as a DC or wait until Golden left. Well here we are, should be an interesting week.

 

[IrishWayDomer]

MF needed HC experience when he started. Not sure he needs that now, year 4, extended, and with playoff/title-game experience.

 

[ACamp1900]

Idk if I agree with the common tone that, ‘eh, freeman will just plug someone else in there’. Losing Golden will be a massive hit imo. This AG defense tackled better, pursued better and flat out performed better than any ND defense in my adult lifetime,… and I’m no longer a spring chicken by any stretch. I’ll be worried about a drop off until I see evidence to the contrary. If I’m ND I’m doing everything I can to get Golden to think twice, sell him on a Bud Foster type legacy here… and pay him whatever it takes. Just my two cents

 

[thekid33]

pay him whatever it takes.

I don't think it's about $. He wants to be a DC and/or HC in the big leagues. Coming to ND was a stepping stone towards that. He seemingly enjoyed his time here, and it certainly worked out well for us, but in his mind this was never the last stop.

 

[IrishTusker]

Pete Sampson said in the post-NC game podcast that there is speculation that Knowles might leave OSU (possibly for OU) and that ND should at least gauge his interest. He also mentioned that Wink Martindale might go back to the NFL, creating a DC vacancy there. And of course PSU is looking for a DC now too. So that could mean those four programs looking for DCs at the same time.

 

[FightingIrishLover7]

Does Jim Knowles recruit? Seems like a non nonsense guy

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

I don't think it's about $. He wants to be a DC and/or HC in the big leagues. Coming to ND was a stepping stone towards that. He seemingly enjoyed his time here, and it certainly worked out well for us, but in his mind this was never the last stop.

You're probably right, and I was a fool to think he was settled in for the long haul. This isn't in the nature of these guys in the profession. For the most part they're always looking for the next big gig until they finally get it. Whatever that might be.

Head Coaches like Kirk Ferentz and DC like Bud Foster are exceptions, not the rule. Most of these guys typically don't stay in one place very long because they're either looking for the next job or they get fired.

They're just jobs to these guys. They're not fans.

 

[ACamp1900]

I don't think it's about $. He wants to be a DC and/or HC in the big leagues. Coming to ND was a stepping stone towards that. He seemingly enjoyed his time here, and it certainly worked out well for us, but in his mind this was never the last stop.

Yes I understand this,… my point is change his mind, somehow

 

[irish4ever]

Christian Parker, Eagles Secondary coach: ND analyst in 2017.

Charlie Partridge, Colts DL coach: former FAU HC, DC at Pitt and Wisconsin. Awesome recruiter. Knows Florida inside and out.

Steve Clinkscale, Chargers DB coach: former DC at Michigan and Cincinnati.

As long as he rid himself of that skunkbear smelly crap.

 

[Free Manera]

The whispers about Knowles are that he did not like the level of interference he got from the rest of the OSU staff, namely Larry Johnson.

 

[NDPhilly]

Would be pretty insane for OSU to let Jim Knowles out the door, he's basically saved Ryan Day.

Look at how their defensive efficiency has improved since he's gotten there:

2021 - 43rd (Year prior to Knowles hiring, OSU wasted the #1 offense in the country)
2022 - 21st (Knowles First Year)
2023 - 3rd
2024 - 3rd

 

[CanadalovesND]

Would be pretty insane for OSU to let Jim Knowles out the door, he's basically saved Ryan Day.

Look at how their defensive efficiency has improved since he's gotten there:

2021 - 43rd (Year prior to Knowles hiring, OSU wasted the #1 offense in the country)
2022 - 21st (Knowles First Year)
2023 - 3rd
2024 - 3rd

Knowles' first year at OSU was reminiscent of Golden's at ND - a good portion of the fanbase wanted him fired. Two years later, with a defense filled with NFL talent that played within the parameters of his scheme, helped win OSU a national title.