One Of Michigan's Newest Coaches Makes A Bold Statement About The Future
Michigan’s new co-defensive coordinator and cornerbacks coach Mo Linguist has hit the ground running in Ann Arbor, making an immediate impact on the recruiting trail.
On Sunday, Michigan landed the commitment of the top player in the state, cornerback Will Johnson out of Grosse Pointe South. Johnson made clear that the hiring of Linguist played a role in his decision making, indicating that Linguist told him he was Michigan’s top priority. Though Johnson was uncertain about committing to Michigan with Harbaugh’s coaching staff in limbo, the hiring of Linguist clearly made the 6-3, 190 pound cornerback confident in making the decision.
Obviously excited about the Wolverines latest commitment, Linguist went on to make a bold statement about the future of the 2022 class.
Linguist, who spent the 2020 season as defensive backs coach with the Dallas Cowboys, recently joined the “In The Trenches” podcast with Jon Jansen to discuss what led him to Michigan, his discussions with Harbaugh and his vision for the future.
“...things just clicked,” said Linguist. “We had quality, good conversations about the vision of the football program, his vision of what we’re working on and where we are and what we could become, and we shared a similar vision.”
From a recruiting standpoint, his former experience as a college football coach has helped him develop a solid foundation for what he’s looking for in a potential recruit.
“You’re just trying to find winners,” said Linguist. “Does he get it? Does he have what it takes? Does he have something inside of him you can build on? There’s always going to be development. You’re looking to see if they meet the thresholds and that’s where coaching comes into play. The teaching, the developing, the connection and giving them the knowledge they need.”
Linguist went on to paint a very clear picture of what he envisions for the Michigan Wolverines.
“It’s the confidence and conviction and the determination and grit, all the values I believe a lot of what Midwestern people stand for. We want to put that on the football field. We want to play with a shocking level of effort. We want people flipping through the channels and stop what they’re doing and say, ‘Wow, these guys play so hard.’ We want non-football fans to be attracted to our team and our program just because they know what we stand for and what we’re about. and when we hit the field, I can’t tell you what the final score is gonna be, but I can tell you we will fight and scratch and claw to win every single down.”
As most fans know, talent has never really been an issue in Ann Arbor. What routinely seems to plague the Michigan Wolverines on the football field is player development and what to do with the talent they have - a problem that begins and ends with coaching. With six new young coaches on staff for the 2021 season, it’s clear that Jim Harbaugh is going all-out to change the for the Michigan Football program and his coaching legacy.
We’ll see if it pays off.
