After Josh Gattis got off the phone with Jim Harbaugh, he had a decision to make. He could either follow Mike Locksley and become the offensive coordinator at Maryland, or he could jump at the opportunity to join Michigan’s staff and run the offense in Ann Arbor.

Though he had accepted the job with the Terrapins earlier in the day, Gattis knew he had to take the job at Michigan. While telling Locksley that he would no longer be headed to College Park was probably a difficult conversation, Gattis was confident he was making the right decision.

“I was blessed at the same time to have a lot of opportunities to choose from,” Gattis said on the In the Trenches podcast. “When this opportunity came open and Coach Harbaugh reached out, it was a no-brainer in my mind.

“This was just an opportunity — a prized opportunity. When I got the phone call, I couldn’t be more thankful for the opportunity he’s given to me and my family, and I look forward to being a part of this family.”

Gattis spent last season as the co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach at Alabama. Before that, he was one James Franklin’s staff for six seasons at Vanderbilt (2012-13) and Penn State (2014-17).

Harbaugh is hiring Gattis to run the “whole offense,” a bit of a change in philosophy for the head coach in his first four seasons. Since 2015 when he arrived, Michigan has used a collaborative offensive approach from a staffing standpoint. But after some issues this season — primarily in losses to Notre Dame, Ohio State and Florida — the Wolverines are ready for some change.

Not only is Gattis one of the up-and-coming offensive minds in college football, he’s got a strong familiarity with the B1G and the East. His experience at Penn State should serve as a huge advantage for Michigan moving forward.

While there were plenty of opportunities for Gattis this offseason, he knew Michigan was the right choice. It’s certainly a positive sign that Harbaugh landed an offensive mind who’s excited to be in Ann Arbor.