Maryland offensive coordinator Josh Gattis was referenced in a report regarding Michigan’s sign-stealing controversy on, but head coach Mike Locksley left no grey area when asked on Thursday, calling it “a Michigan issue, not a Maryland issue.”
“That’s a Michigan issue, not a Maryland issue. There’s nothing I can do. A year ago, we played Michigan and we had some plays in that game that didn’t go our way that could have dictated the outcome…in hindsight, do I look and say hey, maybe that’s why? No. We’ve got to execute our stuff. They still have to stop it. So no, has no bearing on anything for me right now. And like I said, just even talking about it kind of makes my skin crawl a little bit.”
The Gattis reference comes two days after news broke that co-OC and tight ends coach Kevin Sumlin was arrested following charges of driving under the influence while in Florida. While Locksley previously revealed that Sumlin will not travel with the team to Evanston this weekend, Locksley confirmed that Gattis will still travel this weekend.
Sports Illustrated reported on obtained text messages from former Michigan analyst Connor Stalions, the man at the center of the controversy, and reported additional details that name Michigan linebackers coach Chris Patridge and special teams coordinator/safeties coach Jay Harbaugh, and now, Maryland’s current offensive coordinator. “Pre-covid, stole opponent signals during the week watching tv copies then flew to the game and stood next to [then Michigan offensive coordinator Josh] Gattis and told him what coverage/pressure he was gettin,” Stalions said via SI’s report.
“We’ve had discussions with Josh. Our administration and myself had discussions with him but you know, that Michigan thing has no bearing on anything we’re doing right now and I’m really trying to focus on just preparing for Northwestern,” Locksley added. “We’ve had quite a few distractions, obviously but yes, someone has spoke with Josh, obviously with his name popping up in that article. But our attentions got to be on Northwestern. We’ll deal with the Michigan thing when we get closer to playing Michigan.”
Similar to Locksley’s response when asked about Sumlin’s status earlier in the week, Locksley declined further detail.
“It’s a personnel matter. Not getting into it. I don’t discuss personnel issues. I mean, I was asked a question. Yes, a conversation was had in reference to Josh’s name appearing. Sports Illustrated actually called to get [a] comment. As you guys know, our coordinators are not given media access except a couple of times a year. It’s a Michigan issue, not a Maryland issue. Josh’s name and involvement with it has no bearing in us preparing for Northwestern.”
More from Locksley heading into Saturday’s game:
On Maryland’s success rushing the ball on left vs. right side
“It’s all, again, predicated on matchups, just like in the passing game. You look to the left side of our line, and you got DJ Glaze who’s a guy that I think has the potential to play on Sundays. He’s a four-year starter. I can’t say that it’s been something that we doing intentional. A lot of it has to do with the quarterback and what hash the ball tends to stay on because we have plays we like to run to the field. We have some plays when they do run to the boundary. So I can’t say that that’s something that we gameplan to say, hey, we want to run more to the left or not but to hear that it’s more efficient over there. I would assume that obviously, I think DJ is one of the better linemen in the country, and probably more efficient that way.”
On lack of efficiency in the trenches
“Some of its matchups, some of it’s the execution of the proper footwork. I mean, the same issues that happen at every position. It’s a lot of its technical and fundamental and we’re inexperienced to a degree. If you look and see that we’ve got basically four new starters in there…Aric Harris has played some and then obviously, with DJ going from right to left, it’s almost like you’ve got five new guys up front and I think that you will continue to see them get better and better as the season progresses.”
On solidifying the offensive line
“Probably like eight, Corey Bullock’s back. You throw in Kyle Long, you throw in Mike Purcell and Aric Harris who both kind of rotate in there. Then you add obviously 55, Andre Roye, back to the mix with him being healthy. So yeah, we feel like we’ve got about seven, eight guys that we’re playing winning football with and I liked the way they’re coming along. We’ve got to be more efficient. We’ve got to be able to run the ball more efficient and some of it’s us, making sure that we’re running the types of plays that give our players a chance to be efficient and do the things that are capable of getting executed.”
On where inexperience shows up with the OL
“Footwork, pad level. Those are the intangibles if that’s the question. When they get involved in a particular play, they have to use very detailed footwork, very detailed hand placement, very detailed hat placement, very detailed leverage, running off the football. It’s a technical position and when you look at offense, you’ve got five moving parts that have to operate as one.”
On Gottlieb Ayedze’s progression in 2023
“I expected him to be a guy that should be able to come in and start for us which he’s done. I expected him to be a guy that with his athletic ability and his size that he would be able to execute at a high level as a starter and so he’s exceeded the expectation I’ve had.”
On whether he’s surprised with DJ Glaze’s switch from RT to LT
“No, because two years ago he started at left tackle against West Virginia, when Jaelyn Duncan was not available. We develop our guys to play both sides. He’s a swing guy that in high school, I think it was more left than he was right. The only concern we had was a couple of the ACL injuries or the knee injuries that he had coming out of high school, which side would allow him to be a firmer protector. But no, really, for him, it hasn’t been a big deal going from right to left and he’s performed at a pretty consistent level for us.”
On whether he’s surprised Michigan controversy has grown
“No. Because in any type of situation like this, there’s always more to it. With the immense amount of information that’s out there, TV copies, media, all those things, nothing surprises me anymore.”
On QB Taulia Tagovailoa’s growth this season
“I’ve seen the same Taulia which to me shows emotional maturity because he’s a guy that wears emotions on his sleeve. He’s a guy like myself that would carry a loss a little longer than we need to. But as I’ve said before, it’s been three weeks now since we’ve had our last victory. Nobody around the building is in a jolly mood or happy. Our goal is to find a way to get back in rhythm in Chicago, do the necessary things play to the standard and get back on the right side of the ledger and create a little momentum for the last half of the season.”
On whether Taulia has had a moment that exemplifies his growth
“I just think like I said it’s how he’s approached this week. It hasn’t been any different than any other week, which is emotional maturity in itself because again, like I said, when you don’t have success and unlike other sports where in basketball and baseball, you’re right back at it two days after the last loss or last win. Well, football has to sink a little bit and like I said it’s three weeks of not having success. As I’ve told you guys, our team has prepared the right way for most of those times, maybe not the Illinois game the way I think to our standard and I think they would attest to that. But I’ve seen no difference in Lia in terms of our meetings in the evening, the way he approaches practice. All those things have been really consistent. And to me that’s a step in the right direction and those are the signs that showed that the emotional maturity is there.”
On LB Jaishawn Barham
“He plays one position. He plays the MIKE linebacker for us in our regular, in our base package. When we go what we call our dime rabbits package, that’s where we utilize his ability to rush the passer. Like anything in our offense, defense, special teams we try to put our players in the best position to be successful and he has the ability to rush to passer. Not to compare him, but no different than you look at kind of what Micah Parsons has done. He’s a linebacker, he can rush the passer. He’s that type of talent and we’re gonna utilize his skillset as best we can and it helps him but it also helps our program.”
On Barham’s pro potential
“I don’t know. I’ve never coached in pro football why or how. I just think as coaches you find the strengths of what your players do best and you try to put them in a position to do that. I can’t speak for what they’re doing with Micah. I knew as soon as I mentioned the comparison that it would end up being this, but he’s an inside linebacker. We have done this in the past in this structure of defense. We’re 3-4 more than base but when we go nickel, we’re a four-down front and we’re looking for guys that have the twitch, the edge rush ability and Jaishawn has it as we’ve seen [the] last couple of weeks. Him and Donnell Brown have become a force in our dime rabbits package where they create some issues there for tackles because of their speed, their power and you know just kind of how we play them. We play our players to best utilize their skill in pass rushing while also, you know, he was a freshman All-American inside linebacker.”
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