Maurice Linguist's short stint with Michigan football still impressive for MAC players

For 114 days, Maurice Linguist's main objective was to breathe new life into a Michigan football defense that ranked 89th. On the 115th day, Linguist accepted the head coach position at the University at Buffalo — the MAC program he spent two seasons with as defensive backs coach in 2012-13.

It was a tough task early, taking over a program without spring ball, just weeks before summer camp.

"There's no playbook for what we're about to enter; 115 days before we play our first game I took over as the head coach," Linguist said Tuesday at the MAC media day at Ford Field. "I've been on the job for 74 days, we have 44 days before we play. I called some of the prominent coaches I know — P.J. (Fleck at Minnesota), (Northwestern's Pat) Fitzgerald, Jimbo (Fisher at Texas A&M), and Mike McCarthy from the Cowboys, to give me insight, give me some advice. But truthfully, nobody's ever experienced what I'm experiencing right now in terms of the timing of things."

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The Bulls were picked to finish fourth in the MAC East Division in this year's media poll. But Linguist is pleased with the roster of players left from the tenure of Lance Leipold (who left to take the head coach job at Kansas in the offseason). As a first-time head coach, his first order of business was to start building relationships and a strong rapport with his team.

"We didn't have the benefit of spring football," Linguist said. "I think the benefit of that for us is that we have to just be that much more intentional about how we go about establishing those real relationships with our young men, in the essence of what college football is all about.

To some players, departing Michigan for Buffalo was a major selling point for their new coach.

"Yeah," offensive lineman Jake Fuzak said with a smile when asked if poaching a coach from Michigan felt good. "He wouldn't have come if he didn't see the potential. I think that knowing that, it gave us all — like it's fresh, new, genuine and real-feeling. It's a good deal."

According to players, Linguist has impressed during the first few practices.

"Coach Mo at the beginning of summer, it really didn't affect him," senior linebacker James Patterson said. "He came in, hit the ground running and has a lot of energy. Being the coach today, he knows that works for him in his own work for us. It's rare to see a head coach run, especially with his players. Every every time you run, he's running. He's right by my hip; (he) wanted to compete with me."

Two months into the new relationship with Linguist, players are past the honeymoon phase with Linguist and are now turning their emphasizing gritty play and the fight needed to content in the MAC this season.

"The MAC is beautiful because it's not pampered," offensive lineman Jake Fuzak said. "We don't have all this money, we don't all have this crazy food and gear. The whole pampered lifestyle doesn't really suit us. We're humble. We're in the dirt, we're working. When you have a coach that you want to play for, it only lets you go to that next level. Having someone, a coach like Coach Mo, (he's) someone you want to fight for, I think is what I'm most excited about this season."

Linguist said his coaching style is a compilation of all the head coaches he served under including Fisher, McCarthy, Florida's Dan Mullen and Ohio State's Paul Rhoads.

"I really see myself as a collection of so many great experiences and lessons I've learned throughout my coaching career," Linguist said. "I am me. I am Maurice Linguist, Coach Maurice Linguist, and I am not anybody else. Certainly, I've learned so many valuable lessons from so many coaches and look to really incorporate, not necessarily emulate but incorporate, a lot of great lessons that I've learned along the way."

In recent years, MAC schools have landed on several Big Ten schools' schedules. When the Big Ten cut its non-conference schedule in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, it canceled 11 games against MAC schools. Several MAC/Big Ten matchups are back on the schedule this year, such as Western Michigan's visit to Michigan on Sept. 3. Linguist said he's open to playing the Wolverines in the future. This year, the Bulls will visit Nebraska on Sept. 11, with games at Maryland, Wisconsin and Minnesota scheduled for 2022, 2023 and 2025, respectively. In addition to WMU, Michigan has MAC foes on its schedule for 2023 (Bowling Green) and 2025 (Central Michigan). The next nonconference open spot for the Wolverines appears to be in 2026.

"We do have an 'anybody, anywhere, any day' approach," Linguist said. "It's a 'put the ball down' mindset. We really adhere to our own play style, regardless of who we're playing, so for us, it's a nameless, faceless opponent. Let's go play our game and let's go put the ball down and go play."

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Maurice Linguist's short run with Michigan football impresses Buffalo