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Maryland Football

Locksley Hires Gattis, Spavital to Finalize Coaching Staff

March 9, 2023
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Press release...

COLLEGE PARK, Md. – University of Maryland Head Football Coach Michael Locksley finalized his coaching staff on Thursday by hiring Josh Gattis to serve as the Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach and Zac Spavital as the new Safeties Coach.

Gattis, who worked alongside Locksley at Alabama in 2018, spent the 2022 season as the Offensive Coordinator at Miami before spending the prior three seasons as the Offensive Coordinator at Michigan. Gattis won the Broyles Award in 2021 as the nation’s top assistant coach.

Spavital has spent the past four seasons as the Defensive Coordinator at Texas State. He’s also had coaching stints at Texas Tech, Houston and Oklahoma.

“The additions of Josh and Zac really bolsters our already strong coaching staff,” said Locksley. “Josh and I have a strong relationship and a proven track record of working together to produce a potent offense. He and I share many of the same philosophies and it should be a very smooth transition.

“Zac comes to us with a history of being part of defenses that have a tremendous amount of success, especially when it comes to being aggressive and taking the ball away,” Locksley continued. “He’s worked with some really strong football minds during his career and we’re excited about what he brings to our staff and how he’ll be able to develop our players.”

Gattis arrives in College Park with 13 years of coaching experience, including serving as an Offensive Coordinator during each of the last four seasons. In addition to winning the nation’s top assistant honor in 2021, Gattis mentored a Biletnikoff Award winner, multiple All-Americans and numerous all-conference players. He has been a part of four conference championship-winning teams and has coached in multiple College Football Playoff games.


In 2021, Gattis’ Michigan offense was one of the nation’s top-performing units, ranking No. 16 nationally in scoring offense, No. 25 in total offense, No. 15 in rushing offense, No. 16 in third down conversion and No. 24 in red zone offense. Michigan won the 2021 Big Ten title and garnered a bid in the College Football Playoff in Gattis’ final season in Ann Arbor.

In 18 years as a defensive coach for Texas State, Texas Tech, Houston and Oklahoma, Spavital has overseen defenses that have six times finished top-25 in turnovers forced, twice finishing in the top-10. A 2022 Broyles Award nominee, Spavital guided a defensive unit that improved 56 spots in the national rankings from 2021 to 2022 in total defense and set FBS program records in tackles for loss and nearing the record in sacks and turnovers gained.

Spavital has been part of nine bowl teams during his coaching career and helped lead Oklahoma to two Big 12 Championships in 2006-07, making the Fiesta Bowl in each season. 

 
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