Michigan got its first football win over rival Ohio State in 10 years, and the Wolverines are acting as if they want to go another 10 years before they get another win in the series.
First you had Jim Harbaugh taking a dig at Ryan Day after Michigan overpowered Ohio State 42-27 in the Big House on Saturday. Two days later, it was Josh Gattis talking trash.
Gattis, 37, is in his third season as Michigan’s offensive coordinator. He talked Monday on the “Inside Michigan Football” radio show and shared some insight regarding the Wolverines' strategy against the Buckeyes.
Gattis said Michigan viewed Ohio State as a “finesse team” and “not a tough team.”
“They’re a good team. They’re a finesse team, they’re not a tough team,” Gattis said, via the Detroit News’ Angelique S. Chengelis. “And we knew that going into the game that we can out-physical them, we can out-tough and that was going to be the key to the game, and that’s what we prepared for all year long.”
Gattis went even further, saying that Michigan saw Oregon overpower Ohio State and committed to the same game plan.
“You saw earlier this year in the game they lost to Oregon; Oregon was the most physical team on the field,” Gattis said. “That’s the way they lost, and we committed to that recipe, and it paid off.”
Look, nothing Gattis said is incorrect. Anyone watching the game could see that Michigan just bullied Ohio State and pushed the Buckeyes around. We wrote about it. We gave credit to Gattis for his game plan. He, Harbaugh and Michigan’s players and coaches deserve all the credit for the win.
But you have to wonder what in the heck Gattis was thinking by saying that out loud? That’s the type of thing you keep to yourself and leave unsaid.
It was already widely recognized and known that Michigan pushed around the less physical Buckeyes. Did Gattis feel so strongly that he had to make sure people recognized his genius by saying it publicly?
Gattis essentially called Michigan’s biggest rival “soft.” That’s the kind of quote that stings, that sticks in your head, and that motivates you.
Between what Harbaugh did, and what Gattis has said, Ohio State has all the bulletin-board material it needs for next year. The Buckeyes are going to be motivated to hang 100 points on Michigan next season, and the Wolverines can thank Harbaugh — and especially Gattis — for that.
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