Mike Mickens Leaves Notre Dame After an Immaculate Tenure

Liam Gaudet
1 minute ago
4 min read

Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end. After six incredible seasons, Notre Dame Defensive Backs coach Mike Mickens has accepted the vacant Defensive Backs coaching position with the Baltimore Ravens.

Mickens joined the Fighting Irish in 2020, being hired to coach the cornerbacks by way of Cincinnati - not unlike Marcus Freeman. Mickens would see plenty of success both on the recruiting trail and on the field, as he helped to elevate one of Notre Dame's biggest weaknesses into one of its greatest strengths throughout his tenure. Mickens would be elevated to Defensive Backs coach in 2024 after helping the Irish reach third in opponent total passing yards per game. The following season, the Irish would finish top-10 in total defense for the second season in a row, largely due to the elite play of the Irish secondary. Mickens was an unsung hero in many ways and excelled in both recruiting and player development. The list of players developed by Mickens is long, but some of the most notable are as follows:

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Benjamin Morrison, Cornerback (2022-2024)

Benjamin Morrison is fondly remembered as one of the more dominant corners in Notre Dame's illustrious history. In his freshman season, Morrison amassed six interceptions, which included his famous return to seal an Irish victory against Clemson. He allowed just a 37.1 passer rating when targeted, and led all Power-4 corners in interceptions through his first two seasons in college football. Morrison compiled a career PFF grade of 90.5, among the nation's best. Mickens helped to bring Morrison to South Bend and ultimately developed him into one of the best cover corners in the country heading into his junior season. Unfortunately, Morrison's career was cut short early into his final season, but the tape he had compiled was good enough to be selected in the second round by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Xavier Watts, Safety (2020-2024)

If you want to know just how good Mike Mickens developed players, there is no greater example than Xavier Watts. Watts was recruited to Notre Dame to play wide receiver; however, after just one season, he would switch to linebacker in an effort to help the team in any capacity he could. Despite playing in 11 games at the position, Watts would switch to safety in 2022, where Mickens would ultimately develop him into one of the greatest Notre Dame safeties of all time. In 2023, Watts would absolutely explode onto the scene, leading all defensive backs with seven interceptions in 13 games. Watts would famously intercept Caleb Williams twice in South Bend in Notre Dame's victory over USC, part of a three-game stretch where Watts amassed five interceptions. He would win the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, awarded to college football's best defensive player in 2023, and was also named a unanimous All-American. Watts returned in 2024, and was a driving force behind Notre Dame's run to the national championship. He would once again rack up six interceptions after being named a team captain, and would finish his career off with another consensus All-American nod. Watts would shockingly fall in the NFL draft despite elite production, but he has paid off handsomely for the Atlanta Falcons, who drafted him in the third round. Watts' rookie NFL season saw him reel in five interceptions, and he is a finalist for the defensive rookie of the year. All this to say Mike Mickens was able to develop a depth piece at wide receiver into one of the most decorated safeties in Notre Dame history.

Leonard Moore, Cornerback (2024-Present)

Coming out of high school, Leonard Moore was an underrecruited talent who flew under the radar of national recruiting services and teams alike - but not Mickens. Leonard Moore would commit to Notre Dame as a lengthy and raw talent, but it didn't take long for Mickens to develop Leonard Moore into the best cornerback in the country. To the surprise of many, Leonard Moore would start as a true freshman and completely dominate. PFF gave Moore the highest grade amongst all freshmen defenders in 2024, and he would amass 48 tackles, two interceptions, two forced fumbles, and 11 passes defended. Moore had an argument to be the best corner in college football after just one season. He would follow up his freshman season with another ridiculous campaign, totalling five interceptions and a consensus All-American selection. Moore still has one season of college football remaining, but is widely regarded as a top-10 talent in the 2027 NFL Draft. Mike Mickens developed Leonard Moore into the best corner in college football in record time, getting the most out of the room once again.

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The bottom line is, Mike Mickens isn't someone the staff can just replace. It's incredibly difficult to excel in talent evaluation, recruiting, and development, but Mickens hit on all three exceptionally well. It was truly remarkable what he was able to accomplish at Notre Dame, and he will now reunite with Kyle Hamilton, another elite Notre Dame defensive back in the NFL. The good news for the Fighting Irish is that this opening will be one that is incredibly sought after among coaches throughout the country. Mickens has laid the foundation for the room to be elite for years to come, as he secured commitments from multiple elite secondary talents in the class of 2026. With the calendar crunch now over, Marcus Freeman is afforded ample time to find the successor to one of the greatest Irish assistant coaches in recent history.

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