The search for the next Texas defensive backs coach continues on after Blake Gideon took the Georgia Tech defensive coordinators position.

One name that has been passed on to me as a candidate for the opening is current Notre Dame DB coach Mike Mickens.

Mickens has been on staff at Notre Dame since 2020, where he was the cornerbacks coach until making the jump to the Defensive Backs coach in 2024. In 2020, Mickens coached with Terry Joseph on the staff at Notre Dame.

Before Notre Dame, Mickens had stops at Cincinnati, Bowling Green and Idaho, all as cornerbacks coach. He graduated from Cincinnati and was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the 7th round of the 2009 NFL Draft.

Mickens was the lead recruiter for star freshman CB Leonard Moore and was instrumental in the development of Xavier Watts, Kyle Hamilton and Benjamin Morrison.

If this happens, then Terry Joseph would more than likely move to the safeties coach? 

Would be a home run hire.  Feel like they would need to shuffle around some titles to make it happen though.  He was getting some DC smoke and is tight with Freeman.  

Quote

Mickens has been on staff at Notre Dame since 2000, where he was the cornerbacks coach until making the jump to the Defensive Backs coach in 2024. In 2020, Mickens coached with Terry Joseph on the staff at Notre Dame.

24 years as the ND cornerbacks coach under multiple head coaches has to be some kind of record.  

Edited February 10, 20251 yr by field1

Micken may be an upgrade. Can he bring Moore over with him?

9 minutes ago, field1 said:

24 years as the ND cornerbacks coach under multiple head coaches has to be some kind of record.  

Typo I think.  Also said he was drafted in 2009

12 minutes ago, qaertyisthatdude said:

Dude got that gig at 13 years old lol

 

16 minutes ago, field1 said:

24 years as the ND cornerbacks coach under multiple head coaches has to be some kind of record.  

Haha my bad, at ND since 2020.

Mickens would be a home run hire 

2 minutes ago, Wrong Link Gerry said:

Mickens would be a home run hire 

I tend to agree

Mark Orphey (Rutgers) is another name per Anwar Richardson. He is a North Shore grad, also worked with Jeff Choate.

And one from pitt   assistant coach secondary/safety Cory sanders 

3 hours ago, CJ Vogel said:

The search for the next Texas defensive backs coach continues on after Blake Gideon took the Georgia Tech defensive coordinators position.

One name that has been passed on to me as a candidate for the opening is current Notre Dame DB coach Mike Mickens.

Mickens has been on staff at Notre Dame since 2020, where he was the cornerbacks coach until making the jump to the Defensive Backs coach in 2024. In 2020, Mickens coached with Terry Joseph on the staff at Notre Dame.

Before Notre Dame, Mickens had stops at Cincinnati, Bowling Green and Idaho, all as cornerbacks coach. He graduated from Cincinnati and was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the 7th round of the 2009 NFL Draft.

Mickens was the lead recruiter for star freshman CB Leonard Moore and was instrumental in the development of Xavier Watts, Kyle Hamilton and Benjamin Morrison.

Mickens would probably know Tashard Choice from their brief overlap at the Dallas Cowboys.  Choice was in Dallas from 2008-2011.  Mickens was drafted by the Cowboys in 2009 and was on the practice squad for the first 2+ months of the season before being picked up by Tampa Bay.  Just another potential data point.

3 hours ago, Ace Recruiter said:

 

You got be a real 80s or older baby to get this🤣

2 hours ago, CJ Vogel said:

I tend to agree

Coming from an unbiased opinion. What makes him a home run hire? I don’t have a dog in the fight at all so i am happy with whoever sark takes because he’s proven he knows what he’s doing. 

6 minutes ago, NothinButDaHorns34 said:

Coming from an unbiased opinion. What makes him a home run hire? I don’t have a dog in the fight at all so i am happy with whoever sark takes because he’s proven he knows what he’s doing. 

Development of elite talent in the secondary with multiple All-Americans. 

I checked with a contact familiar who said who said Mickens is one of his favorite coaches he interacts with often. Youthful, energetic and knows his stuff.

Mickens was also the lead recruiter for Leonard Moore and Micah Bell (Kinkaid School in Houston), so he is familiar with the Texas recruiting landscape as well.

CJ, wouldn't this be a "demotion " for him seeing that he is the db's coach at ND now?

41 minutes ago, Orange Guitar said:

CJ, wouldn't this be a "demotion " for him seeing that he is the db's coach at ND now?

By title,perhaps.  But we just saw Johnny Nansen move from Arizona DC to Texas Co-DC with PK already in place. It happens.

1 hour ago, CJ Vogel said:

Development of elite talent in the secondary with multiple All-Americans. 

I checked with a contact familiar who said who said Mickens is one of his favorite coaches he interacts with often. Youthful, energetic and knows his stuff.

Mickens was also the lead recruiter for Leonard Moore and Micah Bell (Kinkaid School in Houston), so he is familiar with the Texas recruiting landscape as well.

Outstanding evaluator also 

4 hours ago, TexasFanatic said:

Mickens may be an upgrade. Can he bring Moore over with him?

Who knows?  Moore is from Round Rock and his dad is a professor at Texas.

5 hours ago, TexasFanatic said:

Micken may be an upgrade. Can he bring Moore over with him?

Won't happen.

I’ve heard Terry Joseph making the move to safeties coach and Texas adding a CB coach to fill the staff is very much a possibility as well. 

53 minutes ago, CJ Vogel said:

Won't happen.

Moore?

17 minutes ago, TexasFanatic said:

Moore?

Correct

I honestly have no idea about coaches, so I'll trust that Sark is going to make a great choice, because so far he's done a great job of getting guys in place.