Josh Gattis enters his first year as a Vanderbilt offensive assistant under James Franklin. He will mentor Commodore wide receivers and serve as the team's offensive recruiting coordinator.
Gattis comes to Vanderbilt after one year as wide receivers coach at Western Michigan where he helped the 7-6 Broncos to the 2011 Little Caesars Pizza Bowl, the fifth postseason appearance in team history.
Wide receiver Jordan White, Gattis' top pupil at Western Michigan, established a slew of team and Mid-American Conference (MAC) records en route to consensus All-America recognition. As a senior in 2011, White topped the nation with 140 receptions and 1,911 receiving yards. His 17 touchdown catches ranked third in the NCAA. He finished his career with 306 catches and set a new MAC record with 4,187 receiving yards. White owns virtually every Western Michigan receiving record. He capped his Bronco career by setting a Little Caesars Bowl record with 265 receiving yards.
White became Western Michigan's first consensus All-America recipient, earning recognition from the Associated Press, Walter Camp Football Foundation, American Football Coaches Association, Sports Illustrated and Yahoo! Sports.
After the 2011 season, White was selected in the seventh round by the New York Jets.
Two other Western Michigan wide receivers, seniors Chleb Ravenell and Robert Arnheim, produced career campaigns under Gattis' guidance. Ravenell had 67 receptions and nine touchdown catches. Arnheim finished the year with 62 receptions.
Gattis joined Western Michigan after serving as a graduate assistant in 2010 at the University of North Carolina. Among the coaches working closest with Gattis at North Carolina was then-Tar Heels' offensive coordinator John Shoop, a former Vanderbilt grad assistant and the brother of current Commodore defensive coordinator Bob Shoop.
Gattis was a two-time All-Atlantic Coast Conference recipient during an outstanding career at Wake Forest. A three-year starter at safety, Gattis earned All-ACC honors in 2005-06. He finished his career with 32 starts, 253 total tackles, six forced fumbles and 12 interceptions. He posted five picks in both his junior and senior campaigns.
Gattis participated in the 2007 Senior Bowl and East-West Shrine Game. He was drafted in the fifth round of the 2007 NFL Draft by Jacksonville. He played the 2007-08 season with the Chicago Bears.
Gattis earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology from Wake Forest in December 2006.
The Gattis File Personal
Birthplace: Durham, N.C.
Alma Mater: Wake Forest, 2006
Playing Experience: Wake Forest (Safety, 2003-06)
Coaching Experience
2011 - Western Michigan (wide receivers)
2010 - North Carolina (0ffensive graduate assistant)
