TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- For Alabama’s wide receivers, they are focusing on the little things.

And that approach this preseason is because of first-year wide receivers coach Josh Gattis.

For DeVonta Smith, it is fundamentals. “A lot of the fundamental things that he talks about. He’s high on fundamentals, and that’s what he’s really taught me about, the fundamental things.”

For Jerry Jeudy, Gattis has “taught me a lot more about technique. Wide receiver is all about (being a) technician and little things. It’s not what you do after the ball, it’s how you get open.”

Gattis brings eight years of experience to Alabama as one of six new assistant coaches on the Crimson Tide’s 2018 staff, spending six of those seasons working under James Franklin.

The last four years, Gattis served as the wide receivers and passing game coordinator along with leading the offensive recruiting efforts for Penn State. During his time in Happy Valley, Gattis flexed his recruiting muscles, helping the Nittany Lions secure four consecutive top-25 recruiting classes, including a pair of top-15 classes in two of his last three seasons there.

Under his tutelage, Chris Godwin broke the Penn State record for juniors with 11 touchdown catches in 2016. During that season, Godwin amassed 982 receiving yards on his to way to earning Second Team All-Big 10 accolades in 2016. Prior to his time at Penn State, Gattis spent two years on the Vanderbilt staff with Franklin starting in 2012. Serving as the wide receivers coach for the Commodores, Gattis helped Jordan Matthews to All-America accolades twice.

Matthews would end his Vanderbilt career as the SEC’s leader in receptions (262) and receiving yards (3,759), while also setting the single-season mark for receptions with 107 in 2013.

First-year Alabama receivers coach Josh Gattis

“Josh Gattis is an outstanding addition to our coaching staff,” Nick Saban said of the hire. “He is a sharp, young coach who did a great job at Penn State and Vanderbilt before that, and we believe he will bring great energy to our program. He is an excellent recruiter and knows what he is doing in terms of coaching wide receivers and building relationships with the players.”

Before that, Gattis spent one season at Western Michigan as the wide receivers coach, where he coached Jordan White to All-America honors in 2011. White led the NCAA in receptions with 140, totaling 1,911 yards in that season, and broke numerous MAC receiving records. Gattis began his coaching career as an offensive graduate assistant at North Carolina in 2010.

As a player at Wake Forest, Gattis was twice selected as an All-ACC safety (2005-06). He went on to be selected in the fifth round of the 2007 NFL Draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars. After that, Gattis moved on to the Chicago Bears, where he spent the 2007 and 2008 seasons.

A former NFL player and a rising star in the coaching profession, Gattis is helping Alabama on and off the field, especially with its young receivers. And it is noticeable around the building.

“I think he brings a lot of great energy to the wide receiver room,” senior tight end Hale Hentges said of Gattis. “He’s a very vocal leader, and he gives a lot of good leadership to his wide receivers. From talking to all the wide receivers, they really enjoy working with him.

“He brings a lot of knowledge to the game. He’s even helped me out a little bit with my routes, too. Even though he doesn’t have a whole lot of time to personally talk to me, but just being out there on the field, if he sees something he’ll tell me. Obviously coming from Penn State, it’s a phenomenal program and he has a lot of experience and knowledge, so he’s been great for us.”

Contact Charlie Potter by 247Sports' personal messaging or on Twitter (@Charlie_Potter).

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