Five things Notre Dame DBs coach Mike Mickens said in spring practice
Notre Dame defensive backs coach Mike Mickens, fresh off his promotion from cornerbacks coach, spoke to reporters after Wednesday’s spring practice. Mickens is also the defensive passing game coordinator, a role in which he led one of the best pass defenses in the nation last season.
Here’s what Mickens had to say Wednesday morning.
On what he looks for when recruiting a safety vs. a cornerback at Notre Dame
“To me, it’s a lot of the same stuff. Obviously, you want [safeties] to be a little bit bulkier and be ready to fit a little bit more, but I still want them athletic. I still want them long. I still want them to be able to run. To me, those are the things right there. And also, can they process fast, right? Can they process mentally fast because they are running the back end of the checks and things of that nature? So, some of that comes into play. Do they understand football, but, those things also can be taught a lot, too. But trait-wise: athletic, long, can run and physical.”
On losing Benjamin Morrison to injury* and Clarence Lewis to the transfer portal
“Ben, maybe he can’t do it physically, but he can do it mentally. It’s an opportunity for him to grow in, one, leadership, but also grow his mental game with it. It’ll also helped (him) be a coach with it. So, yes, we’d love to have him out there. We don’t want anybody to get injured, but he’s gonna be able to grow and take another step in another way with the mental part of it.
“And yeah, you don’t want to lose a C-Lew, but guys gotta step up and we gotta go.”
*Morrison is expected to return for the 2024 football season
On who can play nickel at Notre Dame beyond Jordan Clark and Micah Bell
“We’ve got Devyn Ford that’s learning it as well. So, you got those guys right there. But my philosophy is guys gotta understand multiple positions. As you saw Christian Gray in the bowl game play nickel. You’ve seen Jaden Mickey before play nickel. So, guys know it. Just because they don’t rep it maybe in practice, they understand what they gotta do.”
On Ford as a defensive back after converting from running back
“He’s learning. He’s getting better every day. It’s different for him, but he’s getting better every day with it. And he’s up there every day learning the position.
“He played safety in high school a little bit as well. So, he has some defensive philosophy with him, but at this level, he hasn’t. But he’s doing a great job.”
On Rod Heard II’s role at Notre Dame in the fall
“He’s going to be required to know both [safety and nickel]. So, he’ll be able to know… his main is still safety, but then nickel will be something that he learns as well with it. So, it’s kind of in the same mode as B-Mo, right? He can’t practice this spring, but he can grow his mind.”
