LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Sanford Robertson Offensive Coordinator/wide receivers coach Josh Gattis of the No. 2-ranked University of Michigan football team was announced on Tuesday (Dec. 7) as the winner of the 2021 Broyles Award presented by the Frank and Barbara Broyles Foundation. The award honors college football’s top assistant coach and was established in 1996 to recognize legendary head football coach Frank Broyles.
Gattis is U-M’s second-ever winner, joining Jim Herrmann (1997). He was given the distinction among four other finalists: Jeff Grimes (offense, Baylor), Jim Knowles (defense, Oklahoma State), Dan Lanning (defense, Georgia) and Warren Ruggiero (offense, Wake Forest).
As a unit, the offense ranks top 20 nationally in 10 categories: tackles for loss allowed (1st), sacks allowed (3rd), red zone offense (7th), rushing offense (10th), scoring offense (13th), fumbles lost (13th), turnovers lost (15th), total offense (18th), first downs (22nd) and third down conversions (23rd).
Michigan is second in the Big Ten and 13th nationally in scoring at 37.7 points per game. The Wolverines have scored 490 points through 13 games, scoring 61 touchdowns and 22 field goals. The 490 points scored so far this season is the sixth highest total in school history.
The Wolverines are one of the nation’s most balanced offenses this season, averaging 223.8 rushing yards and 228.1 passing yards per contest; gained 2,910 rushing yards and 2,965 passing yards this season. The Wolverines have run 906 offensive plays for 5,875 yards, an average of 6.5 yards per play. U-M is averaging 451.9 yards per contest, which ranks 18th nationally and second in the Big Ten. Overall, the Wolverines have gained more than 450 yards of offense in eight contests, including six times in Big Ten action, and has produced 500-plus yards of total offense four times. The passing game has surpassed 200 yards in nine games, including a season-high 406 yards at Michigan State
The Wolverines’ offensive line has allowed the fewest sacks (nine) in the nation and third-fewest tackles for loss (27). Both marks lead the Big Ten. The Wolverines have scored first in 12 of 13 games this season and 14 different players have found the end zone on offense.
Under Gattis’ direction, the offense has a 1,000-yard back in Hassan Haskins (1,232 rushing yards) and has a chance at a second in Blake Corum (939). On 455 carries by non-quarterbacks, U-M ball carriers have generated just 21 negative rushing yards, leading to a run game averaging 224.9 yards per contest.
In beating Ohio State at the end of the regular season, U-M scored its most points against OSU since 1946 (42), its largest margin of victory in the rivalry since 1993 (15 points), its most rushing yards (297) since 1995, and its most total yards (487) since 2013.
A total of 10 players earned All-Big Ten honors, led by RB Hassan Haskins and RT Andrew Stueber earning first-team accolades. All five offensive linemen received all-conference recognition.
