Josh Gattis - Football Coach - University of Michigan Athletics

Josh Gattis

Title:
Sanford Robertson Offensive Coordinator

Josh Gattis is in his third season as the Sanford Robertson Offensive Coordinator and wide receivers coach for the Wolverines. Michigan has averaged 30.6 points and 395.3 yards per game during his two seasons directing the offense.

In 2020, Gattis' unit averaged 28.3 points and 381.8 yards per game. The Wolverines gained over 350 yards of offense in four of six contests and went over 450 yards of offense three times. Running back Hassan Haskins averaged more than six yards per carry (No. 24, NCAA) and quarterback Cade McNamara provided a late-season spark. Four players averaged 10-plus yards or better per reception including receivers Ronnie Bell (15.4 yards per catch) and Cornelius Johnson (15.9).

In his first season, Gattis led the U-M offense to a 5,000-yard season (5,220 yards), averaging more than 400 yards of offense per game. The Wolverines averaged 31.7 points and 401.5 yards per contest buoyed by a stretch which saw U-M out-gain and out-score four league opponents and Notre Dame by a combined +1,101 yards and +114 points. Thirteen different Wolverines were named All-Big Ten on offense under Gattis.

Gattis coached wide receivers Nico Collins (37 catches, 729 yards, seven touchdowns) and Bell (48 catches, 758 yards, one touchdown) to career-best seasons along with quarterback Shea Patterson. Collins' 19.7 yard-per-catch average led the Big Ten Wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones (six touchdowns) was also a big end zone factor, and five pass-catchers registered at least 25 receptions each. Patterson became the third U-M quarterback to throw for 3,000 yards in a season (3,061), throwing for the third-most yards (384) and the second-most touchdowns (five) in a single game during the course of the year. U-M had two rushers over 600 yards in Zach Charbonnet (726 yards, 11 TDs) and Haskins (637 yards, 4 TDs) and Charbonnet's 11 rushing scores are a freshman record at Michigan.

Gattis spent the 2018 season as co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach at the University of Alabama, where he helped lead the Crimson Tide to the College Football Playoff and a National Championship Game appearance. While in Tuscaloosa, Gattis mentored All-American receiver Jerry Jeudy, the 2018 Biletnikoff Award winner, who caught 68 passes for 1,315 yards (19.3 avg.) and 14 touchdowns. In addition, he developed true freshman Jaylen Waddle, who earned first-team All-American honors by Pro Football Focus. The Crimson Tide had four receivers and a tight end surpass 500 yards receiving on the year.

Prior to his position with the Crimson Tide, Gattis spent four seasons as the wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator at Penn State (2014-17). He also led the program’s offensive recruiting efforts, helping the Nittany Lions ink four straight top-25 recruiting classes, including a pair of top-15 classes. Gattis was selected as the 2015 Big Ten Recruiter of the Year by Scout.com for his efforts. On the field, he tutored All-Big Ten receivers DaeSean Hamilton (2014, ’17) and Chris Godwin (2015-16).

Gattis spent two years as wide receivers coach at the University of Vanderbilt staff (2012-13) before migrating north to the Big Ten Conference. During his time with the Commodores, Gattis coached Jordan Matthews to All-America honors twice. Matthews ended his career as the SEC’s leader in receptions and receiving yards while also setting the single-season mark receptions with 107 in 2013.

He spent the 2011 season at Western Michigan as the wide receivers coach, mentoring Jordan White to consensus All-American honors. White led the NCAA in receptions with 140 for 1,911 yards during the 2011 season and broke numerous Mid-American Conference receiving marks. Gattis began his coaching career as an offensive graduate assistant coach at North Carolina in 2010.

Gattis played collegiately at Wake Forest University, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in sociology in 2006. He was an All-Atlantic Coast Conference safety in 2005 and 2006. Gattis was a fifth-round pick of the 2007 NFL Draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars. He spent part of the 2007 season with Jacksonville before moving on to play for the Chicago Bears during the 2007 and 2008 seasons.

Gattis has one son, Jace, and a daughter, Reece.

Coaching Experience

Year	Team	Position
2010	North Carolina	Offensive Graduate Assistant
2011	Western Michigan	Wide Receivers
2012-13	Vanderbilt	Wide Receivers
2014-17	Penn State	Passing Game Coordinator/Wide Receivers
2018	Alabama	Co-Offensive Coordinator/Wide Receivers