Mickey Mental was named head coach of the Notre Dame College football program on December 22, 2019, after 11 seasons with the Falcons. Mental joined the NDC coaching staff prior to the 2009 season as a graduate assistant. He was promoted to Recruiting Coordinator in 2013, before being named the Offensive Coordinator prior to the 2015 season, and became the Assistant Head Coach in May of 2016.
In his first season as head coach, Mental led the team to a perfect 5-0 season in a shortened season. NDC defeated the University of Charleston in the MEC Championship game by a score of 51-34. Throughout the season, the Falcons outscored their opponents by an average 38.6 points per game. The offense ranked in the top 25 in NCAA Division II with 306.4 rushing yards per game (2nd), 54 points per game (3rd), 499.2 yards of total offense per game (5th), 105 first downs (7th), a 62.9 completion percentage (8th), a 42.1 third down conversion percentage (16th), scored on 95.2-percent trips to the red zone (10th) and had 14.6 passing yards per completion (17th).
Along with the staggering numbers put up by the offense, the defense made their presence known. They allowed just 15.4 points per game. The defense was best in NCAA Division II with four defensive touchdowns and seven fumble recoveries. They ranked in the top 25 with 15 turnovers gained (2nd), eight passes intercepted (4th), allowing 245.4 yards per game (6th), allowing a 26.7-percent completion percentage on third downs (7th), allowing 84.4 rushing yards per game (8th), allowing a 25-percent completion percentage on fourth downs (11th) and allowing 161 passing yards per game (14th).
On special teams, the Falcons ranked fourth in the country in kickoff return yardage with 29.2 yards per game, ninth in punt return yards with 13.5 per game and 14th in kickoff return defense, allowing just 15.5 yards per game.
Mental was named MEC Coach of the Year and Tabyus Taylor took home MEC Offensive Player of the Year after rushing for 1,013 yards and 12 touchdowns in five games in 2020. A program record 22 players were named to one of the All-MEC teams after the season. Tanner Harding and Nathan Moore earned Academic All-Region honors and were later named Academic All-Americans.
The 2018 season was the most successful in Notre Dame history, and Mental's offense was a big part of the team's run to the NCAA DII Semifinals. The NDC offense ranked seventh in the country with 6,359 total yards while the run game ranked sixth with 3,704 yards. The offense was one of the best at moving the ball in 2018 as the team ranked eighth in first downs (304). Mental's players broke multiple NCAA DII records including Most Rushing Yards Gained by a Freshman (Jaleel McLaughlin - 2,421) and Most All-Purpose Yards Gained by Two Players on the Same Team (McLaughlin & Marvelle Ross - 4,630). Running back Jaleel McLaughlin was a Harlon Hill Award finalist in 2018 and finished third in the voting while offensive lineman Austin Treneff was a Gene Upshaw Award finalist, finishing 4th in the voting.
2019 saw repeated success as Notre Dame made it to the NCAA Quarterfinals behind one of the top offenses in the country. NDC ranked 11th in total offense (5,874 yards) and eighth in rushing offense (3,352 yards). Mental continued to lead running back Jaleel McLaughlin to breaking records as the sophomore RB led Division II in rushing for the second year in a row with 2,316 yards. McLaughlin became the first player at any NCAA level to rush for back-to-back 2,000-yard seasons as a freshman and sophomore. McLaughlin was named National Offensive Player of the Year by D2football.com, and finished second in the Harlon Hill Award voting.
In his five seasons as the Offensive Coordinator, the Falcons had their five best seasons in total rushing, with the team setting a new school record in each of his first four seasons. In 2017, NDC ran for 2,558 yards to lead the Mountain East Conference with over 230 yards per game while in 2018 and 2019, the team ranked in the top 10 in all of Division II. In his time as OC, quarterbacks have performed at a higher level than ever before. In each of his four seasons leading the offense, NDC's quarterback ratings have been over 130, peeking in 2016 with a QB rating of 157.7.
Mental spent the 2015-17 seasons coaching one of Notre Dame's best players in quarterback Malik Grove. Grove is a three-time all-conference player and has earned all-region honors as well. He set the MEC record for most career touchdowns with 99 and holds the NCAA Division II record for best interception ratio at 1.29 percent (13 interceptions in 1,008 attempts). During his career, he passed for over 7,647 yards while rushing for 2,198.
Since 2015, the NDC offense has won many honors. Mental has coached 25 all-conference, seven all-region and two All-American players. In 2015, running back DJ Greene was named MEC Freshman of the Year. In 2018, running back Jaleel McLaughlin was named MEC Freshman of the Year and MEC Offensive Player of the Year as he became the first to earn both honors in the same season. McLaughlin repeated as MEC Offensive Player of the Year in 2019. The Falcons also succeeded in the classroom during this time as an assistant coach as players have been named Academic All-Americans three times.
Prior to joining the Falcons, Mental spent one year as the quarterbacks coach at Brookside High School.
Mental played his college ball at Baldwin-Wallace, where he was a three-year starter at quarterback for the Yellow Jackets. Mental earned OAC player of the week honors and when his Baldwin-Wallace career was over, he earned a tryout with the Cleveland Browns.
The Olmstead Falls, Ohio, native currently resides in South Euclid.
|
|
Overall |
|
|
MEC |
|
| Season |
W |
L |
% |
W |
L |
% |
| 2020 |
5 |
0 |
1.000 |
4 |
0 |
1.000 |
| Totals |
5 |
0 |
1.000 |
4 |
0 |
1.000 |
