Maurice Linguist’s tenure at Michigan is on the verge of being short-lived.
Linguist, who joined Jim Harbaugh’s revamped coaching staff in January, is leaving to become the next football coach at the University of Buffalo, according to Pete Thamel of Yahoo Sports.
Harbaugh brought Linguist on board as a co-defensive coordinator and cornerbacks coach, replacing former cornerbacks coach Mike Zordich, who the Wolverines parted ways with in January. Linguist most recently served as the cornerbacks coach for the Dallas Cowboys during the 2020 season.
At 37 years old, Linguist represented a greater pivot within Harbaugh’s coaching staff, with the program making a concerted effort to grow younger in the offseason. Linguist already made his presence felt on the recruiting trail, helping Michigan ink five-star 2022 cornerback Will Johnson, the top-ranked prospect in the state of Michigan.
Linguist’s contract stipulates that he does not owe the school a buyout for departing.
Buffalo had an opening after its former coach, Lance Leipold, left to become the head coach at Kansas. Now, Linguist’s sudden departure leaves the Wolverines with a hole to fill at an inopportune time, with spring practice already completed and preparation for the upcoming season underway.