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New Ohio State DC praises Jim Harbaugh, explains why he left Michigan
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Greg Mattison made an unexpected move after spending nearly a decade in Ann Arbor. With the chance to become a coordinator, he packed his bags and headed to Columbus for a new opportunity.
Mattison left Michigan for Ohio State, one of two coaches on Jim Harbaugh’s staff to do so this offseason — the other being Al Washington. After spending 13 years on one side of the rivalry –1992-1996 and 2011-2018 — Mattison will now see things through a scarlet and grey lens.
But the Buckeyes’ new defensive coordinator has no hard feelings to Harbaugh or his former employer, at least not yet. He explained on Wednesday that the opportunity on Ryan Day’s staff was too great to pass up.
“Coach Harbaugh was great,” Mattison said on Wednesday, according to Dan Hope of Eleven Warriors. “He understood that I wanted to coordinate.”
Greg Mattison said he wanted to be a coordinator, which played a big part in his decision to leave his role as Michigan's defensive line coach to become the co-defensive coordinator at Ohio State.
— Dan Hope (@Dan_Hope) February 6, 2019
Mattison spent the last eight seasons in various roles at Michigan. With Brady Hoke, Mattison served as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. When Harbaugh arrived in 2015, Mattison was moved to defensive line duties.
Having spent a good chunk of his career coordinating defenses, Mattison wanted that opportunity again. And while he spent a fair amount of time in Ann Arbor, the new defensive coordinator says his ties to the Wolverines are nothing Buckeye fans should be concerned with.
“The one thing they’re going to see in watching me coach is they’re going to see me give everything I can to this program.”
Dustin grew up in the heart of Big Ten country and has been in sports media since 2010. He has been covering Big Ten football since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter: @SchutteCFB