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Mo Linguist, Ex-Wolverine

Michigan co-defensive coordinator Mo Linguist was announced as the Buffalo Bulls head coach on Friday afternoon, leaving the Wolverines with an open spot on its staff going into the summer. Buffalo’s job opened up when Les Miles was let go as Kansas’s head coach, giving Lance Leipold a chance to jump from Buffalo to Kansas.

Linguist is known as an outstanding recruiter, but his actual coaching ability is a bit of an unknown. At most of his stops so far, he has only spent one season at any particular job and never stayed anywhere longer than three years. He was at Michigan for just a few months – basically the span of spring ball – before leaving.

From Linguist’s perspective, it’s pretty much a no-brainer if he has the goal of being a head coach. Whether he spent a few months or two seasons at Michigan, it’s a step up to become an FBS head coach.

On Michigan’s end, it’s tough to find the right balance. Jim Harbaugh hires a lot of coaches who go on to be head coaches, and that’s a testament to the type of coach he hires: hungry, ambitious, young, and respected guys. But that also means he’s going to lose a lot of those guys to promotions elsewhere. We have seen the opposite at Michigan, when guys like Lloyd Carr and Rich Rodriguez have brought in and held on to “their guys.” That’s not necessarily a terrible thing, but fans weren’t happy with those staffs, either. Jokes abound regarding Mike DeBord, Fred Jackson, Tony Gibson, and others.

Realistically, the thing that many Michigan fans were missing when they got excited about Linguist’s hire was that it was never going to be more than a one- or perhaps two-year thing. The most common outcome for Linguist is to spend a year on a job, meaning we would have been dealing with his departure sometime around February National Signing Day in 2022. The optics wouldn’t be good, either, when he ditched the team in January or right after NSD, leaving a handful of 2022 recruits in the lurch. The Michigan program would have been sifting through decommits, trying to flip lower rated guys late, and players asking out of their National Letter of Intent.

Sam Webb has brought up a couple names as potential replacements(LINK):

• Kentucky DB coach Steve Clinkscale, who has been with the Wildcats since 2016
• New Orleans Saints assistant Cory Robinson, who has had five jobs in the past five years

2021 Season Countdown: #122 Dominick Giudice

Name: Dominick Giudice
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 265 lbs.
High school: Freehold (NJ) Mater Dei
Position: Defensive tackle
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: #56
Last year: Giudice was a senior in high school. He made 46 tackles, 7 tackles for loss, 6 sacks, and 42 quarterback hurries.
TTB Rating: N/A

Giudice committed to Michigan over a year ago, in March of 2020. Compared to most Michigan recruits, he was lightly recruited. Naturally, that led many Michigan fans to flip their lids about his commitment. While I did not flip my lid, I was not super impressed with Giudice’s film or athleticism.

Until late in the process, Giudice was Michigan’s only defensive tackle commitment. Eventually, he was joined by George Rooks, Ike Iwunnah, and Rayshaun Benny. It rarely works out this way, but Giudice appears to have the least upside of the group. Iwunnah and Benny are more physically ready, and Rooks is a shade more athletic. It’s always tough to get on the field as a freshman defensive tackle, let alone as the fourth most talented one in a recruiting class. I do not expect Giudice to see the field this fall.

Prediction: Redshirt

2021 Season Countdown: #123 Will Rolapp

Name: Will Rolapp
Height: 6’0″
Weight: 190 lbs.
High school: Suffield (CT) Suffield Academy
Position: Wide receiver
Class: Redshirt freshman
Jersey number: #30
Last year: I did not rank Rolapp. He redshirted.
TTB Rating: N/A

Rolapp went to Darien (CT) Darien – home of Andrew Stueber – before transferring to Suffield Academy – alma mater of Brad Hawkins and Kechaun Bennett – for his final year. At Suffield in 2019, he caught 25 passes for 432 yards and 3 touchdowns. Last season he won Scout Team Player of the Week leading up to the Minnesota game.

After watching his senior year film, I don’t think Rolapp has any special traits that will get him on the field in any other capacity than perhaps special teams at some point.

2021 Season Countdown: #124 Peyton O’Leary

Name: Peyton O’Leary
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 188 lbs.
High school: Byfield (MA) Governor’s Academy
Position: Wide receiver
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: N/A
Last year: O’Leary was a senior in high school.
TTB Rating: N/A

O’Leary, a standout lacrosse player, chose to commit to the Wolverines as a preferred walk-on football player. His 2019 junior season saw him catch 17 passes for 403 yards and 5 touchdowns. Unfortunately, he was unable to play a season in 2020 due to the pandemic.

You can watch O’Leary’s highlights below, and they’re pretty impressive. He’s a long, lanky receiver who moves really well. I would not be surprised at all if he eventually factors into the rotation at Michigan, as we’ve seen less talented walk-on receivers (Jake McCurry, Nate Schoenle, etc.) get on the field. A walk-on receiver is unlikely to contribute as a freshman, but if O’Leary can add a little weight, maintain his speed, and improve his route-running, he could be a valuable member of the team.

2021 Season Countdown: #125 Christian Boivin

Name: Christian Boivin
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 205 lbs.
High school: Traverse City (MI) West
Position: Safety
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: N/A
Last year: Boivin was a senior in high school. He ran for 940 yards and 11 touchdowns, while also making 72 tackles, 1 sack, 3 interceptions, and 2 blocked kicks.
TTB Rating: N/A

Boivin committed to Michigan as a preferred walk-on in the 2021 class. This came after an odd year where he transferred to Iowa before returning to Traverse City West once Michigan re-instituted the fall football season. He was a standout on both sides of the ball, rushing for 940 yards and 11 touchdowns, while also contributing 72 tackles and 3 interceptions on defense.

Boivin is headed for safety at the next level, but he’s a little bit stiff. His change-of-direction skills are not great, but he does have a little bit of burst. To me looks like a guy who could play on kickoff and punt coverage teams, but he would be limited on offense and defense.

Prediction: Redshirt