One reason Jim Harbaugh hired Josh Gattis as his offensive coordinator was to relieve the massive pressure on Don Brown and Michigan’s defense to win big games with defensive duels.
From 2016 through 2018, the Wolverines’ offense struggled against Defensive SP+ top-20 defenses. In 12 such games, they averaged only 17.6 points per game and 4.3 yards per play. In contrast, in their other 27 games against teams outside the top 20 in Defensive SP+ the past three years, the Wolverines’ offense averaged a healthy 36.8 points per game and 6.4 yards per play.
Gattis and his passing spread were expected to increase performance against all defenses or, at the very least, reduce the gaps so that Michigan’s offense could land punches against elite defenses.
Unfortunately, the Wolverines have whiffed twice so far.
