Former Penn State offensive assistant returning to Big Ten, per report
One of James Franklin’s former assistant coaches is reportedly making a return to the Big Ten. Josh Gattis, who is one of the top names on the rise in the college football world, is reportedly set to join the Maryland Terrapins as the new offensive coordinator.
News of the offensive coordinator hire by Maryland was reported by FootballScoop as a reunion of Gattis and Maryland head coach Mike Locksley became expected. Gattis and Locksley worked together as assistant coaches at Alabama under Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban.
Gattis followed Franklin to Penn State from Vanderbilt when Franklin was hired to be Penn State’s head coach in 2014. At Vanderbilt, Gattis had been Franklin’s wide receivers coach and offensive recruiting coordinator. He continued in those roles when he moved to Penn State and added the title of passing game coordinator.
It was Alabama that lured Gattis away from Penn State following the 2017 season. Gattis had served as Penn State’s passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach from 2014 through 2017, but Alabama gave Gattis his first opportunity to be an offensive coordinator. Saban hired Gattis to be the co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach in 2018, with Locksley being the team’s offensive coordinator in 2018. Locksley left Alabama to accept an offer to be Maryland’s head coach in 2019, Gattis also left the Crimson Tide to be the offensive coordinator for Michigan and head coach Jim Harbaugh.
Gattis spent three seasons with the Wolverines from 2019 through 2021 and was named the nation’s top assistant coach in college football with the Broyles Award in 2021. Gattis left Michigan for Miami in 2022, but he didn’t experience the same level of success with the Hurricanes.
But Gattis could be a great addition to the Maryland program as he continues to be on track to one day be a head coach. With Maryland, Gattis will get to work with Taulia Tagovailoa, one of the top passers in the Big Ten. Maryland’s offense ranked fourth in the Big Ten last season with an average of 401.2 yards per game. The only teams with a better offensive average were Penn State and College Football Playoff participants Ohio State and Michigan.
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