Mike Denbrock Brings An Impressive Recruiting Resume Back To Notre Dame

Mike Denbrock has been a college football coach since 1986, where he began his career at his alma mater Grand Valley State. Denbrock has had a long and interesting career, having coached everything from the offensive line, tight ends, wide receivers, quarterbacks and linebackers, while also having served as an offensive and defensive coordinator at various spots.

Notre Dame officially announced on Wednesday that Denbrock was coming back to South Bend as the offensive coordinator, making it his third time on staff at Notre Dame. Denbrock is coming off of an incredible stretch as offensive coordinator at both Cincinnati and LSU the last two years.

This past season with the Tigers was especially impressive. Denbrock led an LSU offense that led all of college football in scoring at 46.4 points per game. He also coached the 2023 Heisman Trophy winner at quarterback in Jayden Daniels. From an on field perspective, there isn’t much not to love about Denbrock’s fit with the Irish.

Denbrock also brings an impressive recruiting background. Just how good can he be in that capacity? Here’s a deep look at his resume.

NOTRE DAME (2010-2016)

You don’t often see coaches make two stops at the same college, and you especially don't see many make three separate stints with that program. That is exactly what Denbrock is doing when he coaches his first game for the Irish next far. He spent some brief time with the team from 2002-2004, coaching both offensive tackles and tight ends. In the previous stop from 2010-2016, Denbrock served a variety of roles, including coaching wide receivers, tight ends, while also serving as offensive coordinator and associate head coach.

During that second stint specifically, Denbrock had a long string of success on the recruiting trail. As the primary recruiter, he was able to land several of the best Irish players of the 2000s. Some of those names include NFL Pro Bowl offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley and former All American cornerback Julian Love. Denbrock also helped to sign several other notable performers, including wide receivers Chase Claypool and Miles Boykin, cornerback KeiVarae Russell and safety Max Redfield.

He also had several other big recruiting wins as a primary recruiter, although their results were a bit mixed. During that seven year span, he was credited with closing on cornerback Tee Shepherd, tight ends Alex Welch and Tyler Luatua, wide receiver Micah Jones, safeties DJ Morgan and Isaiah Robertson, running back Cameron Roberson and defensive lineman Justin Utupo.

Although his career fizzled at the end, Denbrock was also instrumental in getting starting linebacker Joe Schmidt as a preferred walk-on out of Mater Dei.

As a secondary recruiter, Denbrock’s impact was just as vital. He was directly responsible to help the Irish land wide receivers Will Fuller, Jalen Guyton and Equanimeous St. Brown, offensive lineman Aaron Banks, quarterback Ian Book, running back Tony Jones Jr. and defensive end Daelin Hayes, all of which played football in the NFL. Other players such as quarterbacks Brandon Wimbush and Avery Davis, wide receivers Javon McKinley, Torii Hunter Jr., Corey Robinson, Kevin Stepherson, James Onwualu, Michael Young, Corey Holmes and Justin Brent, and offensive lineman Trevor Ruhland were a credit to Coach Denbrock.

While the recruiting dynamic will be somewhat different for Denbrock as the full time offensive coordinator, but can’t substitute experience. Having those previous relationships and connections while a member of the staff is paramount.

CINCINNATI BEARCATS (2017-2021)

While at Cincinnati, Denbrock and the rest of the staff helped to build the Bearcats into a stellar program that won 44 games in his final four seasons there. With their brand not being nearly as large as the Notre Dame and LSUs of the world, the staff needed to get a little more creative. It was about finding diamonds on the rough.

Some of the names during that stretch that the Bearcats signed offensively included quarterbacks Ben Bryant and Evan Prater, wide receivers Alec Pierce, Tyler Scott, Ja’von Hicks and Will Pauling, tight ends Josh Whyle, Leonard Taylor and offensive lineman Joe Huber and Jake Renfro. That is a list of a lot of former All Conference performers and multiple players currently playing professionally.

The Cincinnati staff did a tremendous job evaluating during the Luke Fickell era. The proof is in the results, which obviously Denbrock had a big hand in as the offensive coordinator.

LSU TIGERS (2022-2023)

At LSU, Denbrock served as the offensive coordinator and coached tight ends for the Tigers. As a coordinator, his job is to oversee the entirety of the offensive classes over the 2023 and 2024 recruiting cycles. In those years, LSU signed some impressive offensive players, including top 100 players in offensive lineman Lance Heard and DJ Chester, tight end Trey’Dez Green, wide receivers Jalen Brown, Shelton Sampson, Kylan Billiot and Jelani Watkins.

As the tight end coach, he also was the main recruiter in landing Green, Ka’Morreun Pimpton, Mac Markway, John David LeFleur and Jackson McGohen. Denbrock was also the secondary recruiter for wide receiver Kyle Parker and offensive tackle Ory Williams.

The cupboard should be well stocked for whoever the next LSU offensive coordinator is to work with. Denbrock is a big reason for that.

IMPACT MOVING FORWARD

No matter the coaching stop, Denbrock has gained a very good reputation as a recruiter. He has also come from a very diverse background of coaching jobs, which should make him very well rounded as a recruiter as well.

Denbrock has been to big schools. His time at LSU and Notre Dame have allowed him to go after some big fish, and win key recruiting battles. He has also been at places like Cincinnati, which was centered more about evaluating players and finding good fits. Add those two skills together and you have a potential dynamic recruiter and developer on the staff.

Notre Dame has continued to bolster their recruiting efforts, bringing in a coaching staff with very good backgrounds in that department. Denbrock should be an immediate upgrade, being able to sell his resume and authenticity to potential players. 

The craziest part is that Denbrock was already a very good recruiter his last time around. It could be even better since this Notre Dame staff tends to not shop down one specific aisle. No aisle is restricted under Marcus Freeman. 

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