Report: Josh Gattis to Accept Miami OC Job
A week ago Michigan fans were wrapping their heads around the idea of Josh Gattis as Michigan’s next head coach (or telling lies to prevent it). While Jim Harbaugh was interviewing for NFL jobs, however, his staff couldn’t be expected to sit around waiting to see if they’d get his. Evidently, Josh Gattis connected with Mario Cristobal, and Bruce Feldman now reports that Michigan’s Broyles Award-winning offensive coordinator is leaving for Miami.
BREAKING: Michigan OC Josh Gattis is accepting the Miami’s offensive coordinator job, per source. The 38-year-old Gattis who helped the Wolverines to the Big Ten title in 2021, won the Broyles Award as the nation’s top assistant coach. Big addition for the Canes.
— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) February 6, 2022
That’s a blow. Gattis was the blueprint for the youth takeover on Harbaugh’s staff, and a leader in the cultural turnaround toward positivity that fueled their run to a win over Ohio State, a Big Ten Championship, and the program’s first-ever playoff appearance. Gattis also built an incredible, and incredibly fast, young receiving room, with Ronnie Bell, Cornelius Johnson, Mike Sainristil, AJ Henning, Roman Wilson, and Andrel Anthony set to form one of the deepest and speediest groups in Michigan history.
On the other hand, Michigan was already preparing for life beyond Gattis, who just three years into becoming an offensive coordinator in his own right was a top candidate for several open Power 5 jobs this offseason, and almost certainly would have been again in a year. Keeping him in Ann Arbor was likely going to take an Associate Head Coach designation, perhaps with a succession plan.
His choosing to leave to be the OC of another school is what sticks, and therefore I look forward to seeing the details of his Miami contract. How much money he receives, what title he gets, and most of all whether any other assistants leave could swing perceptions of how much Gattis was drawn to Miami or repelled by Ann Arbor. Michigan was set to have a breakout offense next year, with a battle between two excellent quarterback options, that receiver room, a pair of star running backs, three parts of an excellent offensive line, and two great TEs returning. Unless the money is considerably higher, it would have seemed that Michigan was a better stepping stone than the rebuilding Canes to Gattis’s future goals, and that those goals were already very close.
It’s hard, then, not to certain elements of the fanbase and the flow of false rumors as contributing factors. Harbaugh too is rightfully going to be criticized, since by all accounts he did a terrible job keeping his assistants informed of his plans, a breach of trust that’s more relevant now that he’s going to have to get them to work for him again. It also didn’t help that Michigan fans often wondered aloud if it was Harbaugh running Gattis’s offense, or if Ed Warinner was secretly teaching them how to run the ball, claims that always had more than hint of that old “Martelli is secretly running Juwan’s program” flavor of bullshit. However Cristobal is an offensive guy as well, and the Hurricane fanbase isn’t going to be any better than Michigan’s, so it’s not like that situation, at least, is changing.
Co-offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore, another young assistant who has moved up the ranks in the program, could assume the role himself, or, since the O-Line is basically a coordinator position itself, share it with another. Most expect that to be Matt Weiss, who as of last Thursday was expected to be following Harbaugh to the Vikings. There's also speculation that they'll be moving Bellamy to receivers to open up space on the defensive staff. They also have Mike Hart. I’ve confirmed from several who would know that the report Hart was ahead of Gattis in the Harbaugh replacement sweepstakes was a complete fabrication, but Hart had nothing to do with that, and is still regarded as future head coach material inside the building. Harbaugh will probably first look around at outside options. But he should probably look to shoring up the rest of his staff first.
February 6th, 2022 at 11:37 AM ^
Just make sure Sherrone Moore gets a big pay raise.
February 6th, 2022 at 12:42 PM ^
From TomVH on Twitter:
Gattis texted some players “…past few weeks has told… very little appreciation I have here from the administration…”
So what day you, Seth? You’ve been dogging Balas. I started to agree with you but that text points to what Balas said. Kind of shit of you to take such a hard stance.
February 6th, 2022 at 2:41 PM ^
"Very little appreciation" from the program that gave him his initial shot as a coordinator? Good luck in Miami. Honestly good riddance.
February 6th, 2022 at 4:09 PM ^
Even though he wasn’t my preference, many people who know more than I thought he was the top name to replace JH if he had left….so instead of waiting to see how that played out (retaining same position or potentially becoming the new HC of the winningest program) he takes the same job in Miami? That makes very little sense. Maybe I’m wrong but I’m having trouble seeing any logic with this move. Go find an OC that isn’t afraid to throw the ball downfield. Goodbye JG, thanks for one good year.
February 6th, 2022 at 5:11 PM ^
millenials gonna millenial.
February 7th, 2022 at 1:10 AM ^
There are plenty of stupid posts on the site, but this may be the dumbest of all. [okay, I have to exclude the anti-vaccers]
February 6th, 2022 at 12:52 PM ^
Agree need to keep the rest on staff happy. Gattis was a good recruiter and last year about half way through the season the offense opened up more. But Gattis if he was in control of the offense it wasn't good at all until the last 7 games this year. Cupcake game with good offense doesn't count as those games are won by the pure talent compared to other teams. I hope we get someone that can take advantage of the skill position players we have and not turn back into Bo offenses. Football can't be won by pounding the rock 50 times a game and just play action. You need a diverse game plan with tricks and other unique stuff to keep defenses guessing.
February 6th, 2022 at 3:45 PM ^
This is a shit take. The offense was more diverse this year than it has been in years. We constantly ran plays to keep the defense guessing. There were plenty of reverses, flea flickers, trickeration, etc to supplement Corum and Haskins pounding it. I thought he was outstanding this year with the offense given the inexperience of the WR's after Bell went down. This is why he won the Broyles award.
I think it sucks giant balls that he is leaving for a horizontal position at a middling program. That shouldn't happen.
February 6th, 2022 at 4:13 PM ^
I hate to break it to you but our reverses were rarely successful. Good teams don’t need flea flickers and “trickeration” to win games. Those are things you do when you know you’re vastly outmatched and only have a shot to win by abandoning your usual unimaginative game plan.
February 6th, 2022 at 4:20 PM ^
What did you watch all season? Those plays were damn successful and kept the defense on their heels. The reverses, jet sweeps, flea flickers, and half back pass worked all year long. Those are great calls when you have a solid OL and great RB's. That gives you the opportunity to challenge the edges and run play action. Again, it's exactly why Gattis won the Broyles award.
February 6th, 2022 at 4:25 PM ^
Lmao what? “Good teams” do whatever it takes to catch opponents off guard and make them pay for mistakes. Like cheating up on the run so you run a flea flicker to catch DBs reacting to run action. Nobody is above “trickeration” to win games. Clown take bud.
February 7th, 2022 at 1:12 AM ^
Then explain OSU's success.
February 7th, 2022 at 11:34 AM ^
Agree with your take, but hardly anyone runs reverses anymore because they take too long to develop. An end around/jet sweep is not a reverse.
February 7th, 2022 at 12:04 AM ^
Agree on Moore.
Make Weiss co-OC/QB Coach.
Move Bellamy to WRs.
Hire Minter, who also coaches Ss.
Go get Ryan Osborn back to coach the EDGE positions.
February 6th, 2022 at 11:38 AM ^
This has a feel of Harbaugh's tendency to treat his people as mushrooms coming back to bite him in the ass to some degree.
February 6th, 2022 at 12:03 PM ^
Butt-eating mushrooms…. Gonna take a while for that image to leave me.
February 6th, 2022 at 1:44 PM ^
I am an artist with words.
February 6th, 2022 at 8:02 PM ^
I seem to recall Gattis breaking down into tears talking about the support from and belief in him that Harbaugh showed to him when accepting the Broyles. Seems much more likely Harbaugh went to bat and the admin didn’t agree. Why is immaterial to this point.
February 7th, 2022 at 2:23 AM ^
Apparently blanx missed that. It seemed like a big deal and was widely discussed. So, more likely he chooses to disregard any evidence that does not conform to his already held beliefs.
February 6th, 2022 at 8:05 PM ^
And I’ll say it again
February 6th, 2022 at 11:43 AM ^
As a private university, does University of Miami have to disclose Gattis' financial package?
February 6th, 2022 at 11:45 AM ^
Gotta elevate and pay Hart, Moore & Bellamy asap
February 6th, 2022 at 1:01 PM ^
Oy. Can't do this shit anymore...
I'm just sitting here watching the wheels go round and round
I really love to watch them roll
No longer riding on the merry-go-round
I just had to let it go.
February 6th, 2022 at 10:32 PM ^
"Yoko just made meeeeee let it go.."
February 6th, 2022 at 11:47 AM ^
This definitely feels like a high risk move for Gattis. At Michigan, I think there was real potential to springboard to an HC job in the next couple years, but now he's got a real project on his hands. Maybe that's what he wants.
February 6th, 2022 at 11:51 AM ^
Why would he do this? I don't get it at all, it's a lateral move, and there is no way that it's any better (and arguably worse) springboard at Miami to a HC position. It's mystifying.
February 6th, 2022 at 12:03 PM ^
Why do people change jobs outside of college football? Money, better work environment, more autonomy in position, more security, better chance of advancement.
My guess is its some combination of those 5. I also think Seth is right that the contract will reveal a lot--is he moving to a position that is better for him (money, better title, offense is all his, etc.) OR is he leaving a position he feels isn't that good (no more JH, believing he's superfluous with Weiss/Hart in the building).
February 6th, 2022 at 12:16 PM ^
I find it hard to believe he feels he’s not getting credit when he won the award for top OC. He’s obviously just pissed at Harbaugh because the job he took is actually a slight step down. This is about Harbaugh and/or Harbaugh and Weiss.
February 6th, 2022 at 1:30 PM ^
if Miami paid more $$$ it is a step up, not down.
February 6th, 2022 at 1:40 PM ^
more money at an inferior team isn't a step up except financially
February 6th, 2022 at 3:08 PM ^
"Except financially..." ???
Like you measure appreciation of your performance differently?
February 6th, 2022 at 4:13 PM ^
If you were making $50k at Ferrari, and then left to go to Chrysler and got paid $100k to do so, did you take a step up or down?
February 6th, 2022 at 4:55 PM ^
I'm gonna go with "step up" on this one.
February 6th, 2022 at 5:56 PM ^
I frankly doubt that he is being paid more at Miami. He was reportedly making something more than $1 million at Michigan. Which is supposed to rank at or near the top for an OC in D1. Miami can't compete with Michigan or about 20 other schools in resources.
February 6th, 2022 at 6:39 PM ^
Idk where you get “reportedly more than $1million” from. He makes $900k per year. And with the amount of cooks in the kitchen aiding the offensive gameplanning this year, it’s doubtful Michigan wanted to increase that by much. Miami also allegedly offered a candidate over $1.5 million to be OC recently
February 6th, 2022 at 9:02 PM ^
It would have to be a significant increase to offset the higher cost of living in South Florida.
February 6th, 2022 at 1:46 PM ^
One can get credit from outside of an organization while not getting credit from within. Both are certainly possible and from the supposed text it sounds like thats what he is saying when I read this..."Unfortunately the past few weeks has told a different story to me about the very little appreciation I have here from administration. In life I would never advise anyone to be where they are not wanted ..."
Now this is coming from sources, which I assume came from the players who received the text. The administration just may be the AD dept or could include some of the coaching staff as well. Eventually more of the story will emerge.
February 6th, 2022 at 4:18 PM ^
Right. Appreciation can mean a lot of different things to different people. His contract was only good through the end of this upcoming season, and he was due to make $1M. With just one year left on his deal, the Broyles in hand, and the best Michigan offense in a long time behind him he was due for a pretty decent sized raise and extension.
If Michigan never properly recognized him winning the Broyles, and never approached him about an extension with a salary in the $1.5M and up range, then yeah...that's a pretty solid lack of appreciation and I don't blame him at all for looking elsewhere to find validation.
February 6th, 2022 at 3:41 PM ^
Just a little while ago he was in tears because harbaugh believed in him. Now he just looks like a crybaby.
February 6th, 2022 at 10:20 PM ^
I’ll never know for sure, but from chatter on here it felt like Gattis wasn’t great at first and Harbaugh had to step in. Offense worked this year, but it sure didn’t feel like speed in space. Could see Gattis leaving to run “his” offense.
February 8th, 2022 at 3:22 AM ^
West Quad, thank you!!
This is SO obvious but it seems no one recognizes or just refuses to acknowledge. We started off the GA game with two tight ends.....IN THE BACKFIELD. Lol That's most certainly NOT speed in space. And the signature of a certain alleged play caller on staff. Running the ball 2-3x more than passing it is how football was played in the 80s. It was week 5 (?) before our qb had enough passing attempts to qualify to be ranked statistically in the conference. People being so "baffled" by this move shows a deliberate effort to ignore what's right in front of your face.
February 6th, 2022 at 10:23 PM ^
The single biggest factor in whether an employee is happy or not, is whether they like their manager. Or at least, there's research backing that position, which is often cited in the business world. I haven't personally looked into the methods used to determine that. Having worked full time at Oracle for a couple of years, Microsoft for 22+ years, and now Unity for 4 years, I'd say that anecdotally this seems to be true. I've known way more people who have left their job because they hate their manager than those who have left because of compensation or security.
This isn't an attack on Harbaugh. I don't claim to have any idea about what goes on in the football program. It was more a reaction to the list of five factors you gave-- a "general" reply, not a "specific to Gattis" reply.
February 7th, 2022 at 7:35 AM ^
Love Unity btw. As a hobbiest programmer and pro PM it is a great dev tool.
February 6th, 2022 at 12:12 PM ^
This kind of thing seems to happen fairly frequently. A head coach is linked to another job, which causes the public to turn its attention to the lead assistant. Then when the HC decides to return, the lead assistant moves on. For whatever reason it's no longer tenable for the two to keep the same professional relationship.
As for why Miami, it's so late in the cycle that this may have been all that was out there.
February 6th, 2022 at 12:23 PM ^
Why is Elston taking the same job at Michigan as he had at Notre Dame? It’s not the alum ties that sold it. He obviously was looking for something at Michigan he wasn’t getting at ND. Maybe it’s the same with Gattis?
February 6th, 2022 at 12:34 PM ^
But ND made a coaching change and Elston didn't move up at all. I think these a different situations. Gattis is moving into the same position at a program that is much less stable and successful. Elston was coming "home" and moving into a solid situation. I don't think anyone would say that about Gattis' move.
February 6th, 2022 at 12:53 PM ^
But in a sense it's the same principle: both men may have felt like any professional mobility at their old school was blocked - Elston would not get the DC job at ND, and Gattis would not get the HC job at Michigan. To have that point driven home to you can be humbling. These guys have healthy egos.
Anyway, Miami poached away Cristobal from Oregon, so I don't think they're kidding around anymore.
February 6th, 2022 at 4:23 PM ^
People keep pointing to the HC thing for Gattis, and I don't think its that at all. He only had 1 year left on his contract, just lead Michigan to it's best offense in years, won the Broyles award....and still had the same contract. Negotiations for a sizeable raise should have happened as soon as the season was over, and been quickly resolved. If the admin and Harbaugh didn't do any of that, that's a pretty solid diss and lack of appreciation. And they can't use Harbaugh being in limbo as an excuse, because they hired Elston during this time too.
February 6th, 2022 at 2:12 PM ^
The answer to "why" is in the message he sent to players, saying he's not appreciated at Michigan.
Oh, and there's also the rai$e...
Comments