Maurice Linguist Already Making A Big Impact At Michigan
Maurice Linguist hasn't even been on at the job at Michigan for a month yet but he's already making a big impact on the program.
Over the course of just 26 days, Linguist helped land and sign Garland (Texas) Lakeview Centennial defensive tackle Ike Ikwunnah in the 2021 class, Cross Plains (Tenn.) East Robertson safety Taylor Groves and Germantown (Tenn.) High athlete Kody Jones from the 2022 class. He's also put out a ton of new offers across several classes and has already earned the reputation of being a real dude and someone who really knows how to recruit for Michigan.
Groves has never even been to campus before but he is so confident in what Linguist is all about that he pledged to the Wolverines sight unseen and can't wait to be in the winged helmet playing for Coach Mo.
"He is real," Groves said of Linguist. "He’s going to be up front and honest with you about what he wants and what he wants to do. I love everything about him and can’t wait to be coached by him."
Fellow 2022 athlete, Terian Williams II out of Alpharetta (Ga.) Johns Creek, just picked up his Michigan offer a few days ago and also had great things to say about Linguist after just one phone conversation.
"He seemed like an honest and straightforward coach," Williams said. "He was impressed with my game film, he liked my versatility in terms of playing corner, safety and nickel and he knows how to develop and prepare me for the NFL if playing on Sundays is a goal of mine. He’s also impressed with my 4.0 GPA."
Per Williams, Linguist knows what he's talking about when it comes to film, each position in the secondary, developing future pros and the importance of an education. He also knows how to prioritize Michigan's top target as evidenced by his immediate bond with Grosse Pointe (Mich.) Grosse Pointe South cornerback Will Johnson. The Michigan legacy is target No. 1 on the CB board in 2022 and he knows it because of Linguist's efforts.
"We had a great convo," Johnson said. "He has a lot of knowledge for the game and seems very passionate about the game too. He did make it clear I was a priority and he needs me there to come in together and help get Michigan back on top."
Linguist is already looking ahead too. He recently offered Plano (Texas) John Paul II 2023 cornerback Braxton Myers and it's clear that Linguist's skills aren't reserved just for rising seniors.
"I like his energy when I was talking to him," Myers said. "We had a lot in common because we lived like 15 minutes away for each other when he was down here in Texas. That's real big."
We obviously haven't seen Linguist or the other new coaches on the field yet but as recruiters, they seem to have some real skills. Linguist has spent a lot of time at the college level and he's been billed as a great recruiter. Now, with that Block M on his hat and some new resources at his disposal, he looks like he's on his way to being elite.