Marcus Freeman, Notre Dame's biggest offseason priority just became glaringly obvious
By Quinn Everts
About four seconds after Notre Dame fell to Ohio State in the College Football Playoff National Championship, the Fighting Irish also got news their defensive coordinator, Al Golden, is likely headed elsewhere.
Ian Rapoport reported that Golden is the "top candidate" for the Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator position. That post is currently open after Lou Anarumo was let go by the team a few weeks ago.
Notre Dame defensive coordinator Al Golden has emerged as a top candidate to be the #Bengals new DC, per me and @MikeGarafolo.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 21, 2025
Coach Zac Taylor has been waiting for the National Championship to end before moving forward. Now that it has, he can speak with Golden & work thru it. pic.twitter.com/1eELIXX3Sv
How long do you think that tweet was in the drafts for Rapoport? He hit send basically the moment the clock struck 0:00 in the CFP finale.
Anyway, Golden has been the DC at Notre Dame since 2022, and had signed a contract extension before the 2024 season. The Irish produced some pretty good defenses under Golden, including this season, when they allowed the fourth-fewest points per game (15.5) in all college football.
Of course, the last we saw of Notre Dame's defense was giving up 34 points to Ohio State in the national championship, but... no one stopped the Buckeyes this year. Overall, it was an elite defensive unit that Golden led.
Marcus Freeman needs to find a new defensive coordinator
With Golden likely being lured to Cincy by promises of free Skyline Chili, it looks like Marcus Freeman will need to find a replacement for Golden. Notre Dame fans seem to prefer Freeman looking in-house and hiring secondary coach Mike Mickens, who is well-respected within the program.
Yea, it was very likely Al Golden’s last game as DC at Notre Dame.
— Notre Dame Recruiting (@NDrecruiting01) January 21, 2025
I’d elevate Mike Mickens to the role if that job does come available. Extremely vital to keep him on staff. https://t.co/kOsdu9csZ1
Mickens has made an impact on the players, too. Here's star cornerback Christian Gray talking about the impact Mickens had on his recruitment and his development. That's a shining endorsement from one of ND's best defenders.
This seems like a pretty easy choice for Freeman and the Irish; Mickens is loved by fans and players alike, he's dedicated to the program and he's already been an important part of the defensive staff over the past few years.