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Linguist Announces Staff Changes
1/31/2022 9:20:00 AM | Football
BUFFALO, NY – University at Buffalo football head coach Maurice Linguist announced several staff changes, including the hiring of a running backs coach and defensive coordinator. Greg Knox, a veteran assistant coach will serve as running backs coach. Brandon Bailey a defensive assistant at Texas A&M is the Bulls' new defensive coordinator.
Knox brings over 30 years of coaching experience to Buffalo, including 25 years in the SEC. He spent the last four seasons as running backs coach and special teams coordinator at Florida.
With the Gators, he oversaw a potent rushing attack. The Gators twice averaged over 200 yards per game on the ground in his time there. They ranked fourth in the SEC in rushing in 2018 (213.2 ypg) and fifth in 2020 (208.7 ypg).
He served as Florida's interim head coach for the final two games of the 2021 season, including a 24-21 win over Florida State.
Prior to his time at Florida, Knox was an assistant at Mississippi State from 2009-17. He also served as special teams coordinator for his final four seasons with the Bulldogs. He and Linguist were on the same staff at Mississippi State in 2016.
Over the course of his nine seasons as running backs coach he tutored a 1,000-yard rusher five times. Four of those backs reached the NFL.
In 2017, MSU averaged 249.6 yards per game on the ground, which was third in the SEC and 14th nationally. That tally was the best by a Bulldog squad since 1980 when it put up a school-record 280.5 yards per game.
In addition, Mississippi State produced the SEC's most individual 100-yard rushing games in 2017 with 11 (six by Nick Fitzgerald, four by Aeris Williams, one by Keytaon Thompson). MSU rushed for over 250 yards eight times and was 7-1 in those contests.
The Bulldogs eclipsed 250 rushing yards in 12 of 19 games between 2016 and 2017.
Knox mentored Anthony Dixon, the former NFL standout, during his senior season. Dixon rushed for a school-record 1,391 yards and found the end zone 12 times. But it wasn't only the All-SEC tailback who thrived under Knox's guidance, as the running backs combined for more than 2,000 yards as the Bulldogs led the conference in rushing yards.
Knox went to Mississippi State following a 14-year stretch as Tommy Tuberville's wide receivers coach at both Ole Miss and Auburn.
A veteran of 15 postseason bowl games, Knox helped lead the Auburn offense to the top of the SEC in scoring in both 2004 and 2005.
After earning his bachelor's degree while playing quarterback for Northeastern State, Knox began his coaching career at his alma mater in 1988. Knox spent two seasons as a graduate assistant at Northeastern State and two at TCU before being named to the staff at Stephen F. Austin in 1992.
In three seasons on the Lumberjacks' staff as the receivers and special teams coach, Knox helped a program that had won only three games in the previous two seasons to the 1993 FCS playoffs and a top-25 ranking the following season.
A native of Rosebud, Texas, Knox is married to the former Toralyn Foster, and the couple has three sons --- Gregory, Torian and Tyson.
Bailey is a rising star in the coaching ranks. He spent the last three seasons as a defensive assistant at Texas A&M, working with defensive coordinator Mike Elko who was recently hired as Duke's head coach. Bailey and Linguist were on the same staff at Texas A&M in 2019.
Bailey was part of a staff whose defense was not only one of the best in the SEC but also nationally. Each of his last two seasons at Texas A&M, the Aggies ranked third in the SEC in total defense. In 2021, Texas A&M ranked 14th in the nation in total defense.
In 2020, the Aggies went 9-1 and defeated North Carolina in the Capital One Orange Bowl. Texas A&M finished ranked fourth in the nation that season. In 2021, Texas A&M went 8-4 and was selected to play in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl. However due to COVID protocol they were unable to participate in the game. The Aggies went 8-5 in 2019 and defeated Oklahoma State in the Texas Bowl.
Prior to Texas A&M, Bailey served as defensive backs coach at Arkansas-Monticello in 2018. He was the defensive play caller for the final seven games of the season. The Boll Weevils went 5-2 over that seven-game stretch.
In 2017, he served as co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Richmond Hill High School in Georgia.
Bailey spent one season as a defensive graduate assistant at Tulane in 2016.
Bailey graduated Cum Laude from Georgia Southern University in May 2016, where he received his bachelor's degree in health and physical education.
Linguist also announced other staff changes and appointments.
Knox brings over 30 years of coaching experience to Buffalo, including 25 years in the SEC. He spent the last four seasons as running backs coach and special teams coordinator at Florida.
With the Gators, he oversaw a potent rushing attack. The Gators twice averaged over 200 yards per game on the ground in his time there. They ranked fourth in the SEC in rushing in 2018 (213.2 ypg) and fifth in 2020 (208.7 ypg).
He served as Florida's interim head coach for the final two games of the 2021 season, including a 24-21 win over Florida State.
Prior to his time at Florida, Knox was an assistant at Mississippi State from 2009-17. He also served as special teams coordinator for his final four seasons with the Bulldogs. He and Linguist were on the same staff at Mississippi State in 2016.
Over the course of his nine seasons as running backs coach he tutored a 1,000-yard rusher five times. Four of those backs reached the NFL.
In 2017, MSU averaged 249.6 yards per game on the ground, which was third in the SEC and 14th nationally. That tally was the best by a Bulldog squad since 1980 when it put up a school-record 280.5 yards per game.
In addition, Mississippi State produced the SEC's most individual 100-yard rushing games in 2017 with 11 (six by Nick Fitzgerald, four by Aeris Williams, one by Keytaon Thompson). MSU rushed for over 250 yards eight times and was 7-1 in those contests.
The Bulldogs eclipsed 250 rushing yards in 12 of 19 games between 2016 and 2017.
Knox mentored Anthony Dixon, the former NFL standout, during his senior season. Dixon rushed for a school-record 1,391 yards and found the end zone 12 times. But it wasn't only the All-SEC tailback who thrived under Knox's guidance, as the running backs combined for more than 2,000 yards as the Bulldogs led the conference in rushing yards.
Knox went to Mississippi State following a 14-year stretch as Tommy Tuberville's wide receivers coach at both Ole Miss and Auburn.
A veteran of 15 postseason bowl games, Knox helped lead the Auburn offense to the top of the SEC in scoring in both 2004 and 2005.
After earning his bachelor's degree while playing quarterback for Northeastern State, Knox began his coaching career at his alma mater in 1988. Knox spent two seasons as a graduate assistant at Northeastern State and two at TCU before being named to the staff at Stephen F. Austin in 1992.
In three seasons on the Lumberjacks' staff as the receivers and special teams coach, Knox helped a program that had won only three games in the previous two seasons to the 1993 FCS playoffs and a top-25 ranking the following season.
A native of Rosebud, Texas, Knox is married to the former Toralyn Foster, and the couple has three sons --- Gregory, Torian and Tyson.
Bailey is a rising star in the coaching ranks. He spent the last three seasons as a defensive assistant at Texas A&M, working with defensive coordinator Mike Elko who was recently hired as Duke's head coach. Bailey and Linguist were on the same staff at Texas A&M in 2019.
Bailey was part of a staff whose defense was not only one of the best in the SEC but also nationally. Each of his last two seasons at Texas A&M, the Aggies ranked third in the SEC in total defense. In 2021, Texas A&M ranked 14th in the nation in total defense.
In 2020, the Aggies went 9-1 and defeated North Carolina in the Capital One Orange Bowl. Texas A&M finished ranked fourth in the nation that season. In 2021, Texas A&M went 8-4 and was selected to play in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl. However due to COVID protocol they were unable to participate in the game. The Aggies went 8-5 in 2019 and defeated Oklahoma State in the Texas Bowl.
Prior to Texas A&M, Bailey served as defensive backs coach at Arkansas-Monticello in 2018. He was the defensive play caller for the final seven games of the season. The Boll Weevils went 5-2 over that seven-game stretch.
In 2017, he served as co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Richmond Hill High School in Georgia.
Bailey spent one season as a defensive graduate assistant at Tulane in 2016.
Bailey graduated Cum Laude from Georgia Southern University in May 2016, where he received his bachelor's degree in health and physical education.
Linguist also announced other staff changes and appointments.
- Ron Whitcomb added recruiting coordinator to his title
- Andy McCollum has been elevated from defensive quality control coach to senior defensive analyst/chief of staff
- Neil Herman has been elevated from special teams analyst to director of football operations/academic liaison
- Joe Licata has been elevated to senior offensive analyst/director of high school and alumni relations
- Chris Schaefer has been elevated to on-campus recruiting coordinator/assistant operations/football team events
- Drew House has been elevated to operations and recruiting assistant
- Rich Massaro has been hired as director of player personnel/pro liaison
- Jake Molinich has been hired as strength and conditioning intern
Players Mentioned
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