Josh Gattis leaving Michigan football for Miami Hurricanes

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.

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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.

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But then the offseason started and Harbaugh's future was uncertain as he flirted with the NFL. Last week, on national signing day, Harbaugh flew to Minnesota to interview with the Vikings. When it became clear a deal wouldn't be consummated, he informed Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel he planned to return.

Things, however, would not be the same. And now that has become even more evident with Gattis heading towards the exit door.

ESPN's Pete Thamel was first to report Gattis' impending move.

Free Press sports writer Michael Cohen contributed to this report.

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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan football's Josh Gattis named Miami Hurricanes OC