Mesquite High School Football, Class of 2002
A proud Mesquite High School graduate, Maurice Linguist was a two-sport standout and captain of the undefeated 2001 Skeeters football team that captured the Texas 5A State Championship. His leadership and playmaking as defensive back helped anchor one of the top defenses in state history. Linguist continued his football career at Baylor University, where he earned All-Big 12 Honorable Mention and Academic All-Big 12 honors. After graduating with a bachelor's and master's degree, he launched a coaching career that has taken him to the highest levels of college and professional football.
As head coach at the University at Buffalo (2021-2023), Linguist led the Bulls to a bowl victory and signed the MAC's top recruiting classes. He's held key roles at power programs including Texas A&M, Minnesota, Mississippi State, Iowa State, and coached in the NFL with the Dallas Cowboys. Now the Co-Defensive Coordinator and Defensive Backs Coach at the University of Alabama, Linguist helped lead a Crimson Tide defense that ranked top 10 nationally in scoring and interceptions during his first season in 2024. From Mesquite's Memorial Stadium to some of college football's biggest stages, Linguist continues to embody MISD excellence as a leader and role model.
