Michigan just upgraded its staff in a huge way.
The Wolverines are binging on Dallas Cowboys defensive backs coach Maurice Linguist as its new co-defensive coordinator. While Linguist is coming from the NFL, he was previously known as one of the best recruiters in college football.
Linguist made waves at Minnesota before really making his mark on the trail at Texas A&M under Jimbo Fisher. The Aggies’ 2019 recruiting class was more than special, and Linguist led the way on several elite targets.
In fact, Linguist pulled in a trio of composite Top 100 defensive back prospects.
“That’s my guy,” said Joey Moss, Director of elite Dallas 7v7 program True Buzz and mentor to two of Linguist’s top 2019 signees in wide receiver Dylan Wright and safety Demani Richardson. “I hold him in a really high regard as a man not just as a coach. He does a really, really good job making his presence not just about football but being more so a guy that goes beyond just recruiting.
“From a position standpoint, he’s got a lot of experience and knowledge. He did a great job at A&M and Minnesota. I also think his NFL experience put him in an even more positive light. I honestly think he’s going to be a head coach one day.”
Added top Houston-based trainer and Fast 7v7 coach Ro Simon, who has worked with guys like Michigan wide receiver signee Cristian Dixon and another of Linguist’s big 2019 lands in safety Leon O’Neal Jr.:
“He knows how to build relationships with the people that he needs to, which is essential. He’s going to bring a lot of energy and passion with recruiting. He’s also going to bring attention to detail on the field. I got on the board with him, and we worked technique. We talked skillsets and things like that. He’s on the younger side and has been in the NFL. He’s going to use all his experience to help out Michigan.”
Simon hit the nail on the head.
Linguist is a relationship builder. In the world of recruiting, knowing everybody from the family, to the high school head coach to the 7v7 coach to the personal trainer to the mentor is imperative to land top tier talent.
James Williams, who runs PPA 7v7 in both Houston and Memphis, played a key role in the recruitment of top 2019 defensive back Erick Young. Linguist made building a relationship with not only young but Williams a major priority.
“He asked Erick who the three most important people were in his life,” Williams said. “He said I was one of them. (Linguist) said he had to build a relationship with me in order to have one with Erick. He didn’t exclude anybody from that equation. A lot of people look at people in the 7v7 and mentorship business as a certain type of person. He never judged me. He got to know me. Over everything, the relationship he had with me and Erick’s mother ultimately made Erick got to A&M.
“I actually went to visit him when he was with the Cowboys. He’s a great person and a great dude. He’s one of the best recruiters. He’s genuine. He has a deep concern and care for players. He’s as excellent of a coach as he is a recruiter. That’s hard to find.”
After a monster year in 2019, Linguist turned right around and reeled in five-star 2020 cornerback Jaylon Jones out of Cibolo (Texas) Steele.
“He’s one of the best,” said former Steele recruiting coordinator and current Hutto (Texas) High defensive coordinator Adam Harvey. “We saw a lot of coaches come through during my time at Steele. I was fortunate to make a lot of contacts during my time there, and Mo Linguist is the cream of the crop. He’s one of those dudes that I can hang out with and talk ball. He’s down to earth. He never made anything uncomfortable throughout the process. He’s just a real guy. He was busy in the NFL, but we still stayed in touch. I have a friend in Mo Linguist.”
If you are a top defensive back in Texas, chances are you train with Christian White aka Coach Flight. White worked with Michigan defensive backs Gemon Green and German Green as well as the aforementioned Jones, Richardson and Brian Williams, yet another big 2019 signee for Linguist and A&M.
Needless to say, Linguist made a strong impression on White as well.
“He’s a very good recruiter,” White said. “A lot of people really relate to him. He tells them the right thing and shows them a good time while they’re on campus. I heard great things about him as far as coaching. Michigan got a really good recruiter, though. He’s very energetic, and he’s going to bring some swag to that secondary.”
Justin Owens, who runs Coach O Recruiting and coaches Texas Flex 7v7 alongside White, is one of the first people a coach should contact if he wants to truly make a recruiting imprint in Dallas.
And yes, Linguist and Owens go back years.
“He’s a hell of a recruiter,” Owens said. “He’s really personable as far as recruiting kids. He gets to know the kid. He’s not just a fan of kids. He played a big part with (2021 Rivals250 cornerback) Deuce Harmon before he left. If he was at A&M, (2021 Rivals250 cornerback) Ishmael Ibraheem probably would have went to A&M. He’s a guy that continues to coach on and off the field. He’s one of the elite guys. He’s really relatable. Kids flock to him. He’ll be successful at Michigan. With him, they’ll for sure get some kids down here.”
Winning over kids in the Lone Star State should be no issue for Linguist. While Michigan’s location isn’t geographically friendly for prospects in the south, Linguist is a native of Mesquite, Texas in the Dallas-area and played his college ball at Baylor. He knows people in the Lone Star State inside and out.
Along with Texas A&M, Linguist also has coaching experience at Valdosta State in Georgia and recruited in the south, with a strong emphasis on Texas, during his stops at Minnesota, Iowa State and Mississippi State.
“It’s not just Dallas,” Moss said. “I think he can get all of Texas in the recruiting pipeline. He does a good job with the Dallas players because it’s home. But even when he was at A&M, he didn’t just focus on Dallas. He kept the in-state guys at home. I also believe with how good he is and his reputation, I think he has the ability to go out and land some of the top defenders in the nation. He makes Michigan an attractive situation. That’s the best thing Michigan could have done in area that needed the most work.”
Simon shared similar sentiments.
“100 percent he can,” Simon said. “He’s got ties to Dallas all the way out to Houston. He’s a guy that can go into a room and not necessarily sell but pitch a case for them to go up to Michigan.”
While winning has played a big role, Ohio State been a nuisance for southern schools in the state of Texas. The Buckeyes have plucked major talent from Texas, including NFL players like Baltimore Ravens running back JK Dobbins and Detroit Lions cornerback Jeffrey Okudah.
Over the last few cycles, the Buckeyes have also stolen elite prospects like linebacker Baron Browning, wide receiver Garrett Wilson and five-star 2022 quarterback commit Quinn Ewers, who flipped from the University of Texas.
Harvey believes Michigan is capable of doing the same.
“It wouldn’t shock me in the least,” Harvey said. “He’s got Dallas ties, obviously. When he came back when Jimbo got the job at A&M, he attacked it hard. The way that he recruits, it’s top notch. It’s just relationships, really. I’m a (Texas Tech) Red Raider. I sent kids to Texas, Baylor, SMU, Oklahoma State and then Jaylon to stinking A&M. It was always about best fit. When I met Linguist, I was like this cat is the real deal.
“Ohio State has done it with Garrett Wilson and Quinn Ewers. Coach Linguist is a great hire for kids that are starting to give the Midwest, specifically, the Big Ten. It’s a great hire for Michigan. He’s someone that can come down and recruit out this way.”
Linguist provides that missing tie to the south that Michigan needs to have success down in that region.
“That’s the thing the kids need from up North schools,” White said. “They’re hesitant because they don’t know the people and aren’t hearing the right things. But as you’ve seen with the Green twins, if you can get the right guys in place, they can definitely pull it off.”
And kids in the south are already buzzing about the hire.
“As soon as I found out he got the job, (four-star 2022 Memphis safety) Kody Jones texted me that he really liked Michigan now,” Williams said. “There you go. You know, I have several top-flight guys. They’ll entertain the idea of going up there to Michigan if (Linguist) is there. I trust him with any players that I work with.”
