Don't get it twisted — Josh Gattis has the utmost respect for Nick Saban and what he learned on staff during his one season at Alabama.

But his recent unexpected departure to Michigan left the Crimson Tide's coaching staff without one of its top offensive assistants and recruiters and did make college football's top coach question his motives.

The now-former Crimson Tide assistant shared what exactly led him to Michigan instead of Maryland during an appearance the latest episode of Attack Each Day: The Harbaughs Podcast, remarks that immediately put him in hot water nationally.

“When Coach (Jim) Harbaugh called, it kind of caught me off guard because I had just left a meeting with Nick Saban getting my butt chewed out for 20 minutes telling him I was leaving and he was trying to get me to stay. It did not go over well,” Gattis said. “If there was any band-aid to the bruise or whatever that he left on me, it was that phone call. It was exciting to hear his voice and to talk to him personally.”

After Gattis' explanation went viral on social media and placed Saban in a somewhat negative light as a tyrant, Gattis took to Twitter to explain himself. He has no hard feelings for Alabama's program nor his former boss, he says.

"Anyone who has taken words from my podcast out of context as a shot on someone and a program I have tremendous respect for is completely wrong! Reading without listening is a complete assumption. The joke was poorly made lightly not to reflect someone I have the utmost respect for!"

Anyone who has taken words from my podcast out of context as a shot on someone & a program I have tremendous respect for is completely wrong! Reading without listening is a complete assumption. The joke was poorly made lightly not to reflect someone I have the utmost respect for! — Josh Gattis (@Coach_Gattis) January 16, 2019

As BamaOnline's Charlie Potter points out, Gattis coached Alabama’s receivers in 2018 and helped players like Jerry Jeudy, Henry Ruggs III, DeVonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle flourish in Locksley’s offense. All four players caught at least 42 passes for 693 yards and six touchdowns this season and helped the Tide rewrite the school’s record book.

“Coming off the national championship game, I had a few opportunities where a lot of teams were kind of calling and gauge interest," Gattis said. "It kind of caught me off guard because I wasn't looking to make a one-year stop anywhere.

Saban has several holes to fill on the offensive side of the football very soon after Mike Locksley's departure to Maryland as head coach, quarterbacks coach and soon-to-be OC Dan Enos bolting to Miami and Brent Key leaving to coach the offensive line at Georgia Tech.