It’s been a tumultuous week and a half for the Alabama Crimson Tide. The Clemson Tigers whooped their collective ass in the National Championship. There’s been a mass exodus of players declaring for the NFL Draft….some of which I thought for sure would return for another year. Then, you have the quandary that Nick Saban currently finds himself in: turnover on the coaching staff. But, former Tide receivers coach Josh Gattis is just the latest domino to fall, as he’s set to become the offensive coordinator for the Michigan Wolverines. And, he might not be the last if you believe the rumors that Butch Jones is going to follow Mike Locksley to Maryland.
Gattis was a stud, though. Alabama may have had the absolute best receiving corps in the entire country. 2018 Biletnikoff winner Jerry Jeudy will be a bona fide first-rounder when it’s his time to enter the NFL. Henry Ruggs III and Jaylen Waddle could be as well. That’s not even mentioning 2017 National Championship hero DeVonta Smith. It’s the best receiving corps Alabama has ever had, and Gattis was a huge part in molding that unit.
Actually, pretty much everywhere Gattis has gone, he’s been good. But, his departure comes on the heels of losing Locksley and quarterback guru Dan Enos to Miami. That one stings.
Gattis was a recent guest on Jim Harbaugh’s podcast, and opened up a bit about how the move to Michigan transpired.
Courtesy of Saturday Down South:
“When Coach Harbaugh called, it kinda caught me off guard because I was literally, I had just left a meeting with Nick Saban getting my butt chewed out for about 20 minutes telling him that I was leaving and he’s trying to get me to stay. It did not go over well. If there was any band-aid to the bruise or to what he left on me, it was that phone call. It was exciting to hear his voice and get a chance to talk to him personally.”
Yeesh – Saban is known for being just a tad bit of a hardass, but this coming out in the media isn’t a good look for him. I have gone on record saying that ‘class’ is overrated, but in instances like this, when you’re in a position of leadership….you could’ve shown a bit of class and grace. I mean, what do you think this says to other coaches who may potentially want to come coach for you? As a leader, you have to develop talent for the betterment of your organization. If you succeed in your job, people are going to move on to bigger and better opportunities. I understand the frustration here on Saban’s part, but dude – you just gotta wish him well and let him go.
If Gattis is to be believed, Harbaugh finally got one over on Saban and stole one of his most coveted assistants after only one season on the job. Gattis would go on to discuss how great it is to work with the Michigan staff and the family atmosphere in Ann Arbor. Whether that’s just something all coaches say after taking a new job or if it’s a shot at Saban’s program is unclear but what does seem very clear is the fact Gattis is at peace with his decision to depart Alabama despite leaving behind arguably the nation’s best receiving corps in Tuscaloosa.
Coaches can leave for a myriad of reasons – I mean, hell….that Tide offense was the best in school history. It only makes sense that people would be picking apart the offensive staff. Saban has to adapt to it. But, one of those reasons could be the atmosphere of a program. There’s a difference in regimes between Alabama and Clemson that was evident this season. Most of the guys at Clemson have been there for years, and everyone is raving about how much of a “family” they are.
I get it – maybe Gattis was just being nice here in talking about Michigan’s “family atmosphere.” But, man – it’s hard not to read the tea leaves on that one. Maybe the clinical culture at Alabama is wearing thin on coaches. Maybe guys are longing for a more energetic and supportive environment. Again, I’m not close to the team – I wouldn’t want to venture a guess, but shit – this kind of stuff just makes me wonder if Saban’s mystique is wearing off.
What’s Saban’s next move?
Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD and #BeBetter. “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Alabama Crimson Tide football, the WWE, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley
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