Analysis: When Notre Dame football needed someone to step up, Jaden Mickey came through

SOUTH BEND — Pittsburgh quarterback Christian Veilleux kept looking Jaden Mickey’s way on a gray Saturday afternoon at Notre Dame Stadium.

Who could blame him?

Sophomore Benjamin Morrison, the shutdown cornerback and All-America candidate for Notre Dame football, was ruled out minutes before this 58-7 blowout. Morrison had strained a quadriceps muscle early in the practice week, and his injured leg didn’t respond sufficiently during pregame warmups.

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That left Mickey, a valuable special teamer but a lightly used backup on defense, to step in for his second career start.

A sophomore as well, Mickey’s previous start was one he’d rather forget, a sustained torching 11 months ago in the loss at USC. This one looked for a while like it might go sideways, too, even with Veilleux tossing out footballs like Halloween candy on a four-interception day.

In a span of seven snaps on the Panthers’ fifth possession, Mickey was in coverage on completions of 16, 14 and 13 yards. He tried to jump a quick screen on the second of those and took a bad angle.

When Pitt reached the Irish 27, Mickey got spun around on a double move by Daejon Reynolds. Only a dreadful overthrow by the scattered-armed Canadian kept that from going for an easy touchdown.

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On the first series of the second half, Veilleux went after Mickey again. With a blitzing Jack Kiser in his face, the Panthers’ inexperienced quarterback threw behind his slanting target, but Mickey couldn’t make the grab.

There would be no sulking on his part.

“One play, one life,” Mickey said, using the oft-cited mantra of Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman. “Come back with the same mentality.”

Just to drive home that point during the week, the Irish coaching staff screened a particular motivational clip of former NFL running back Marshawn “Beast Mode” Lynch.

By Mickey’s unofficial count, the Irish watched that clip “over and over and over and over and over and over — and over. And over again. And over again.”

That’s nine “overs,” in case you’re wondering.

The poised young man and published author of a children’s book, “The Win Isn’t Always on the Scoreboard,” paused and smiled.

“That was the mentality every time I stepped on the field — every play,” Mickey said. “And it finally happened.”

Now trailing 24-0, Veilleux took a short drop and stared down Mickey’s man on third-and-4. The pride of Centennial High School didn’t let this opportunity slip through his hands.

Forty-three yards later, Mickey didn’t just have his first college interception. He had a pick-six that no doubt set off a tearful celebration back home in Eastvale, Calif.

“That’s all I was thinking about,” he said. “I’d told my friends, ‘I promise I’m going to get one today.’ I just was picturing my mom and my dad in the living room yelling. I said, ‘My mom has to see this.’ I’m happy it happened today.”

Nilka Mickey, the player’s mother, has been fighting a courageous public battle with colorectal cancer for the past couple of years. Lamar Mickey, who earned his doctorate in education and taught his son the finer points of cornerback play, was right there with his wife, savoring every bit of this long-awaited breakthrough.

“I love Jaden Mickey, man,” Freeman said. “He’s a great example of ‘one play, one life.’ He’s a great player and he’s doing great things for us.”

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Christian Gray, Jaden Mickey impress veteran Thomas Harper

Compounding the challenge of Saturday was an upper-body injury that sidelined veteran cornerback Cam Hart (29 career starts) early in the second half. Freshman Christian Gray stepped in and made an acrobatic interception of his own on a looping pass down the right sideline.

Over the previous four games against ranked opponents, Gray had played a total of seven defensive snaps. Mickey’s total over the past three games was 47 after he wasn’t used at all on defense against Ohio State.

“They did great,” said nickelback Thomas Harper, the Oklahoma State grad transfer. “They stepped up big time. We needed that. When their number was called, they made the most of their opportunity. I think that shows how good the future is here. A lot to work on, a lot to improve on, a lot to grow from.”

Next up is a trip to Death Valley in Clemson, S.C. The Tigers (4-4) are a shell of their former selves, but they still have plenty of talent, starting with quarterback Cade Klubnik and speedy back Will Shipley.

Motivation won’t be a problem for Clemson, still salty after getting blasted by three touchdowns one year ago at Notre Dame.

The same holds for Mickey and Gray, even if they are pressed into extended service again by the injury situation.

“It’s always fun competing with those boys at practice,” Mickey said. “Me and Christian, we’re ready, because you know any play it could happen. I think me and Christian did a good job at trying to hold it down today but praying for Cam and Ben to get back out there.”

Whether Notre Dame’s secondary is at full strength or not next Saturday at high noon, Freeman knows he will get the best out of Mickey.

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“You look at the first eight games, and he didn't know how much he was going to play,” Freeman said. “He's rotating in there: ‘Take advantage of that play.’ (Saturday) he's in a starting role. Take advantage of those opportunities, which he did. I'm really pleased with how he performed, how he’s practicing, how unselfish he is.”

No one needs to remind Jaden Mickey that the win isn’t always on the scoreboard, but it sure is doubly sweet when it shows up there, too.

Follow Notre Dame football writer Mike Berardino on social media @MikeBerardino.

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Jaden Mickey turns in a resilient performance for Notre Dame football