Report: Alabama 'expected' to hire Buffalo HC Maurice Linguist as defensive assistant

According to Adam Rittenberg and Chris Low of ESPN, Alabama is “expected” to hire Maurice Linguist as a defensive assistant, with the secondary being his likely landing spot. Linguist is currently the head coach at Buffalo, leaving an FBS job to join Kalen DeBoer in Tuscaloosa.

“Alabama is expected to hire Buffalo head coach Maurice Linguist as a defensive assistant, likely working with the secondary, sources tell @ClowESPN and me,” Rittenberg said via X. “Linguist, who finished his third season at UB, is the second sitting FBS head coach to join Kalen DeBoer’s defensive staff.”

Linguist has experience in the SEC at two different programs, the first being Mississippi State. He coached safeties in 2016. After a brief stop at Minnesota, Linguist made his way to College Station to be the cornerbacks coach for Texas A&M in 2018 and 2019.

The Dallas Cowboys then hired Linguist back in 2020, the first season Mike McCarthy was in charge. But when Buffalo came calling to be the program’s next leader, he took the opportunity to be a head coach for the first time in his career.

Linguist was with the Bulls for three years and finished with a record of 14-23. The 2022 season was the highlight, earning a 7-6 record and winning the Camellia Bowl against Georgia Southern.

As Rittenberg mentioned, Linguist in the second active FBS head coach Alabama has brought on to be an assistant. Kane Wommack will be the defensive coordinator after previously spending time at South Alabama. Linguist will now work under Wommack, hoping to keep the high standard of defensive play in Tuscaloosa intact.

Even if Nick Saban had not retired, Alabama would have had some fresh faces in the secondary next season. Terrion Arnold and Kool-Aid McKinstry were the outside cornerbacks last year. Now, both of those have the chance to be first-round picks in Detroit this April.

Keeping Caleb Downs is going to be critical, hoping he returns to Tuscaloosa following an All-American season as a freshman. Malachi Moore coming back instead of declaring for the NFL Draft is massive for the Crimson Tide as well.

However, there have still been multiple losses to the NCAA transfer portal, with former five-star Dezz Ricks being the most notable.

If Linguist does wind up working with the secondary, as expected, he will certainly have some talent on campus at his disposal. But there should be some work to do, needing to replace key players from a season ago.