INTEL | Notre Dame CB Coach Mike Mickens Has "That It Factor"

You’ll forgive Tony Broering if he occasionally says new Notre Dame cornerbacks coach Mike Mickens is a “great kid.”

After all, the head coach at Northmont High School in Ohio has known Mickens since he was a high school kid.

“He was very, very special when he played in high school,” said Broering, who was an assistant for Springfield South High School when Mickens was starring at Wayne High School in the mid-2000s. “He was hard to deal with.

“I was very fortunate to get to coach him in the Big 33, the Ohio vs. Pennsylvania all-star game they used to have every summer, and you could see the potential there and how great he was going to be.”

Mickens proved to be better than the so-called experts on the outside who didn’t get to see what Broering did up close, ultimately earning All-American honors at Cincinnati and leaving as the school’s career leader in interceptions.

After a couple years in pro ball in the NFL and the Canadian Football League, Mickens got into coaching, starting as a GA at his alma mater. After stops at Indiana State, Idaho and Bowling Green, he returned to Cincinnati before being hired by the Irish this offseason.

“Since he’s got out of his playing days and got into coaching, he’s been recruiting us at his various stops along the way,” said Broering. “He was at Bowling Green, so he was always in my building. He was at UC and was always up to see us.”

As a recruiter, Broering says Mickens has “that It Factor.”

“It’s hard to describe it or quantify it, but you know it when you see it,” Broering added. “I’ve been in this so long and have seen every different approach of recruiting. Sometimes you can just tell when a recruiter is talking to a player how he comes across to that young man and if it clicks or not. Mike is great with that. You see it right away. It’s palpable. He does a really good job with that.

“I wasn’t surprised that he shot up through the ranks to be honest with you. I knew his time was short in the MAC just because of seeing him talk to the players. You see some guys where it’s just agony for the kids and other guys where they can’t get enough of the guy and Mike was definitely the latter. He’ll do great.”

Broering has known Brian Kelly for years as well.

“I go all of the way back with him when he was recruiting my guys at Grand Valley State,” said Broering. “I know what a great job he does.”

Mickens played for Kelly with the Bearcats and Broering is convinced they’ll be a great tandem again.

“They’re going to be a great mesh. I know he did a great job at UC for Luke (Fickell). I couldn’t say enough great things about Coach Mickens.

“He’s a fantastic person, a great coach, a great guy. I see big things for him.”