Jim Harbaugh is back at Michigan football, but now has lost his second coordinator in 10 days.
On the heels of defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald’s departure to the Baltimore Ravens, offensive coordinator Josh Gattis has been hired to run the offense for the Miami Hurricanes and head coach Mario Cristobal, a source confirmed with the Free Press on Sunday.
Harbaugh lured Gattis, 38, to Ann Arbor in 2019 with the expectation that he’d help modernize the offense. Gattis promised to implement a system he dubbed “Speed in Space.” But it never took flight. Michigan finished 44th in scoring his first year and 66th the next, as the Wolverines crashed with a 2-4 record in 2020. By last summer, Gattis had changed his different tune. He had created a new slogan, PSP, which stood for “physical, smart, precise.” The Wolverines then reverted to a smash-mouth style that rekindled memories of Harbaugh’s best teams.
TRENDING: Why Jim Harbaugh almost left for NFL, and what really brought him back
ANALYSIS: How Josh Gattis revived Michigan’s offense by rediscovering his identity
Michigan offensive coordinator Josh Gattis watches warmups before the Ohio State game at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021.
Michigan bullied opponents at the line of scrimmage and ran for more yards than any team in the Big Ten. The Wolverines also averaged 35.8 points per game, a touchdown more than they did the previous season. The revival resulted in the program’s first conference championship since 2004 and its maiden voyage in the College Football Playoff. In December, Gattis’ work was honored when he won the Broyles Award, given to the nation’s top assistant.
“I’m forever grateful for Coach Harbaugh because he believed in me,” Gattis said in the acceptance speech.
SHAWN WINDSOR: Jim Harbaugh’s NFL dance reminds us why college football…
..
