Mike Mickens’ departure left a clear hole in Notre Dame’s defensive staff. And it quickly became a concern for Marcus Freeman. The Irish explored Oklahoma assistant Jay Valai as a replacement, but with the Buffalo Bills heavily involved, it always felt like a long shot. Now, Notre Dame has opted to move on.

Sources say Notre Dame plans to hire Illinois defensive coordinator Aaron Henry as its co-defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach. Henry brings a strong résumé with him. He played a major role in Illinois winning 19 games over the last two seasons, marking the most successful two-year stretch in program history.

This is a big hit for Illinois. From 2021 to 2022, Aaron Henry was the defensive back guy in Champaign. He played a huge role in building one of the best secondaries in the country. He helped develop Devon Witherspoon into a lockdown corner who went No. 5 overall in the 2023 NFL Draft, along with NFL-bound talents like Quan Martin and Sydney Brown.

When Ryan Walters left for Purdue after the 2022 season, Illinois handed Henry the keys and promoted him to defensive coordinator in 2023. The transition wasn’t smooth at first. His debut season saw a sharp drop. The defense slid from No. 1 nationally in scoring defense in 2022 (12.8 points per game) all the way to No. 93 (29.4 ppg). But Henry steadied the ship quickly.

In 2024, he led a strong rebound. Henry guided Illinois to 10 wins and a Citrus Bowl victory while cutting points allowed down to 21.7 per game. That season also highlighted Henry’s leadership off the field. In 2024, he earned a nomination for the Capital One Orange Bowl–FWAA Courage Award after continuing to coach through the tragic loss of his older sister.

All of that makes this a major win for Notre Dame. The Irish secondary clearly slipped in 2025 compared to the 2023–24 peak under Mike Mickens. The unit dropped to 56th nationally. It gave up 231.4 passing yards per game after ranking 3rd in 2023 and 4th in 2024. Completion percentage defense also fell to 15th at 55.7%, down from No. 1 the year before, and yards per attempt dipped to 19th after being as high as 3rd.

The talent drain didn’t help either. In the 2025–26 cycle alone, Notre Dame lost five defensive backs to the transfer portal. It included high-end safety JaDon Blair and cornerback Karson Hobbs.

Aaron Henry’s weapons are waiting

When Aaron Henry arrives in South Bend, he’ll have plenty of pieces to work with right away. That starts with the recent portal addition, DJ McKinney. He brings strong production from Colorado and excels in man coverage. McKinney should bring instant depth and real competition for returning starters like Christian Gray and Leonard Moore.

Looking ahead, the 2026 roster is stacked with useful talent that Henry can shape. Safeties Adon Shuler and Ethan Long, along with corner Mark Zachary, give Notre Dame a strong position to develop. A big part of Henry’s job will be turning those athletes into dependable weapons. The change should be smooth as well. Henry already has a deep relationship with defensive coordinator Chris Ash.

The two played together with the Badgers. And Henry later coached under Ash at Rutgers. They worked together to mold a defense that just sent stars Benjamin Morrison and Xavier Watts to the NFL. Role-wise, Henry may have a greater role than his predecessor. He’s expected to oversee both cornerbacks and safeties. And special teams coordinator Marty Biagi will help out on the safety side in specific situations.

Top Stories

Furious Golf Fans Sign Petition Demanding Suspended PGA Tour Pro’s Reinstatement

Bills Make Final Decision on Firing Sean McDermott’s Staff as Joe Brady Demands Major Changes From Josh Allen & Co.

NFL Makes Punishment Decision on Sam Darnold’s Seahawks After NFC Conference Championship Win

NASCAR’s Clash Now at the Mercy of State Officials Amid Dire Travel Advisory

Jon Rahm Has the Last Laugh as DP World Tour Decides on LIV Golf Fines – Insider

Jordan Spieth Feels Envious of PGA Tour Pro 6 Years His Junior, All Because of a Simple Golf Trait

That said, the defensive staff still isn’t fully settled. The linebacker position remains vacant after Al Washington left for the Miami Dolphins on January 29, 2026. Washington had only recently shifted from defensive line to linebackers after Max Bullough departed for Michigan State.