A Notre Dame coaching connection could lead the Fighting Irish to the perfect replacement for the departed Mike Mickens

There is a Mike Mickens replacement that could make a lot of sense for Notre Dame football and HC Marcus Freeman.

Ryan Roberts — National College Football Writer
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Oklahoma coach Brent Venables, left, and Jay Valai, co-defensive coordinator/cornerbacks coach, talk with Oklahoma Sooners defensive back Reggie Pearson (21) during a college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the TCU Horned Frogs at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla., Friday, Nov. 24, 2023. Oklahoma won 69-45.

Notre Dame football was dealt a difficult blow over the weekend when it was announced that secondary coach Mike Mickens was leaving the program to take a position with the Baltimore Ravens. It had been a strong offseason so far for head coach Marcus Freeman and the Fighting Irish, but now they are pressed with trying to find a replacement for the best defensive back coach in college football. That challenge won’t be easy, both as a recruiter and developer of talent.

There is going to be a bunch of coaching hot boards out there with options to replace Mickens, but the truth is, nobody knows who Notre Dame is going to end up with right now. We are all left to speculate who Freeman and Co. are going to have some interest in. A good place to start, however, is past relationships. Coaches love to work with others they are comfortable with, and typically, past relationships can play a huge role during these coaching searches.

One coach to at least keep an eye on is Jay Valai, who currently serves as the cornerbacks coach and Co-Defensive Coordinator with the Oklahoma Sooners. Valai is a coach who has worked under Notre Dame defensive coordinator Chris Ash at multiple spots, and I expect the Irish to at least have initial intrigue to see how much interest there is on Valai’s side.

Connection to Chris Ash 

Just this offseason, we have seen Coach Ash play a big role in a coaching hire with the Irish. When former linebacker coach Max Bullough left to take the defensive coordinator job at Michigan State, Notre Dame chose to move Al Washington over to the spot after serving as the defensive line coach previously. A big reason for that, outside of the confidence in Washington to coach linebackers, was the program’s interest in Charlie Partridge. Ash worked with Partridge while together at Wisconsin, and clearly, there was a comfort in each other.

If Ash once again has a big part in this secondary coaching search, don’t be surprised if Valai becomes a candidate on the short list. That is no guarantee that Valai would leave Norman for South Bend, but you never know until you inquire about it. Not only is he one of “Ash’s buddies”, but Valai is also one of the better cornerback coaches in college football. That fit would make a ton of sense.

Jay Valai’s career background 

A four-year letterman and team captain for the Wisconsin Badgers, Valai finished his collegiate career with 153 total tackles, two interceptions, and four forced fumbles. After his playing career, Valai opened up a sports performance training facility, where he ran it for six years until 2016. 

He began his coaching career as a defensive quality control coach with the Georgia Bulldogs from 2016-17. That stop would land Valai in the same role for a year with the Kansas City Chiefs. His return to college in 2019 was a part of Ash’s staff while with Rutgers. Valai would then follow Ash to the Texas Longhorns the next year. 

After a brief stop with Alabama in 2021, Valai has coached the cornerbacks with the Sooners over the last four seasons. He also holds the Co-Defensive Coordinator title under head coach Brent Venables. 

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