Matt Linscott is Home Where he Belongs

Matt Linscott blitzed off the end, knocking down the quarterback as he released the football. The linebacker heard a roar from the crowd as a player downfield caught the pass. That was the second such play he made in the regular season finale last November.

The first time he hit Tulane quarterback Jordy Joseph in that game in New Orleans, Joseph completed a touchdown pass. So, when Linscott heard noise from the crowd as he knocked Joseph to the ground late in the fourth quarter, he got that same sinking feeling, believing the Green Wave had scored again and retaken the lead. The player that received that pass, however, was teammate Kolton Shindelar, and when Linscott looked up he found the defensive lineman racing down the sideline for a touchdown.

"I felt a 180 of emotion," Linscott said. "There was so much emotion involved, that was probably my favorite moment at Tulsa, when he picked it off and basically secured our spot in a bowl game. I was scared to look. I thought they had scored, because it was that same kind of crowd sound. But I couldn't see exactly, and then I saw Shindelar running down the sideline, and I started running with him, excited."

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Linscott is living a dream at The University of Tulsa. He comes from a long legacy of TU graduates. His grandmother and father both graduated from TU Law School, and two older brothers received their undergraduate degrees from TU. Linscott, who received his accounting degree in May, also carries a football legacy in in the state, as grandfather, Lyle Burris, along with great uncles Buddy, Bob, Kurt and Lynn Burris - all played football at Oklahoma.

Though he had offers to play football at schools on the east coast, Linscott jumped at an opportunity to play at Tulsa, where his family can easily watch his games.

"My dad and grandfather really enjoyed watching me play through the years, so I know it was a big deal for them that I could stay home," Linscott said. "TU really is my dream school. It's the school I've always wanted to go to since I can remember."

He arrived as a walk-on, but after a redshirt 2012 season and proving his mettle on special teams in 2013, Linscott received an athletics scholarship prior to the 2014 season.

To Linscott, being awarded an athletics scholarship was more a financial relief on his family than an affirmation of his athletic ability. While he acknowledges a scholarship offer in high school would have been a cause for celebration, he always believed he belonged in Division I football.

"Once I got here and started playing, I never truly felt like I was a walk-on, because I felt like my skill level was equal to most of the scholarship guys, if not better," Linscott said. "It was just really cool that I could tell my dad that school was paid for completely, and they don't have to worry about anything."

After spending two years at safety, Linscott moved to linebacker in the spring of 2015. It took only a brief trial period for the new TU coaching staff to agree that a position change could benefit the player and team. Linscott can now maintain a more natural weight, while keeping his speed and athleticism, particularly when blitzing or rushing off the edge.

"When I was a safety, I was having to make myself stay around 205 pounds," said Linscott. "I just started eating normal and working out, and I just naturally got up to 220-225. It's just a little more natural for me. It feels really comfortable, and I feel like I'm a superior athlete at linebacker, compared to safety."

Even as a physical match at linebacker, Linscott needed a mental adjustment period when switching positions. Learning the particulars of the position took some time, but he racked up 107 tackles last year, and has 20 through three games this season.

"The defense and myself, we're so much better, just knowing what everyone is doing, and where our weaknesses and strengths are," he says. "The biggest adjustment to me in moving from safety to linebacker was knowing my gaps, playing the run game, and learning the footwork. The coaches made it pretty smooth, and it was a good transition."

In his final year at TU, Linscott is working toward his master's degree in accounting, with eyes on becoming a CPA and working at an auditing firm in town, following the conclusion of his football career.

"I couldn't be happier," he says. "I always thought I could do it – going to TU, walking on, earning a scholarship, becoming a starter, becoming a leader of the team. It's kind of surreal that it's happened, especially when I put so much work and effort into it, for it to all come together and to actually work out. I love this place. It's been a great school, and this has been a great opportunity for me."

Matt Linscott is Home Where he Belongs

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