Miami football assistant coaches, Josh Gattis and Jahmile Addae were named to a list of “45 minority coaches under 45 to watch for future Division I head-coaching jobs” by Adam Rittenberg of ESPN on Wednesday. Gattis won the Broyles Award as the top assistant coach in college football at Michigan in 2021.
Addae was the second-best recruiter in the Class of 2022 as an assistant at Georgia per 247 Sports. Gattis was included among coaches that have offense, defense or special teams coordinator titles even if they are not the primary play callers for their programs per Rittenberg.
Gattis began calling plays at Michigan as the OC beginning in 2019. Prior to his stint at Michigan, Gattis spent one season as the co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach at Alabama. Gattis did not call plays for the Crimson Tide. Mario Cristobal hiring Gattis was a major coup for the Miami football program.
When rumors occurred during the offseason that Jim Harbaugh would leave Michigan there was considerable speculation that Gattis would succeed the former College Football and NFL Coach of the Year as head coach. Gattis is likely to be at the top of many lists as a head coaching candidate for 2023.
"Josh Gattis, Miami offensive coordinatorAge: 38“The 2021 Broyles Award winner (nation’s top assistant coach) helped energize Michigan’s offense en route to the program’s first CFP appearance. He now gets even more autonomy at Miami under Mario Cristobal.Gattis has interviewed for several head-coaching positions and should get an opportunity soon, likely at a Power 5 program, if Miami’s offense begins to surge.”"
Addae and Gattis are both 38 years old. Addae has gained significant experience with programs in four different Power Five conferences. Miami is the sixth program Addae has been an assistant at since becoming a full-time assistant coach in 2011. With the Miami football staff, Addae will have now worked in all of the Power Five conferences.
"Jahmile Addae, Miami secondary coachAge: 38“Addae’s profile includes a national championship with Georgia in 2021 and Power 5 stops at Minnesota, Arizona and West Virginia, his alma mater. The Tampa, Florida-area native has geographic diversity in his profile, and even two seasons on offense as Cincinnati’s running backs coach.He has worked in four power conferences and is known as an elite-level recruiter.”"
Addae has been an elite recruiter throughout his career. While at West Virginia, Addae helped the Mountaineers sign cornerback Darryl Porter Jr. who transferred to Miami during the 2022 offseason. Addae is also credited with Miami gaining a commitment from four-star 2023 CB Robert Stafford.
Addae and Gattis will be able to learn under Cristobal and co-defensive coordinators Kevin Steele and Charlie Strong who all have prior experience as head coaches. Cristobal and Strong will be able to mentor Addae and Gattis about working as a minority head coach. Miami is the third program that Cristobal will lead.
Strong has been the head coach at Louisville, South Florida and Texas. Cristobal has hired a staff full of minority assistant coaches. Miami quarterbacks coach Frank Ponce who was previously the OC at Appalachian State could be the successor to Gattis when he is hired as a head coach. Miami has an elite coaching staff.