Top 5 Notre Dame defensive coordinator candidates for 2025

Mike Mickens

Hiring someone in-house would likely give Notre Dame greater continuity defensively going forward and Mickens may be the top choice if Freeman decides to go that route. Mickens is a holdover from the Brian Kelly regime as he has coached in South Bend since 2020 as the defensive backs coach and defensive pass game coordinator. Mickens is an up-and-coming assistant at just 37 years old and had coaching stops at Cincinnati, Indiana State, Idaho and Bowling Green following a brief playing career in the NFL. A significant amount of talented corners have thrived under Mickens at Notre Dame, including underclassmen Christian Gray and Leonard Moore this past season. Those two players and the rest of the Fighting Irish defense could potentially take another step forward if Mickens is promoted.