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Gary Moeller

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Gary Moeller
Moeller in 2014
Biographical details
Born(1941-01-26)January 26, 1941
Lima, Ohio, U.S.
DiedJuly 11, 2022(2022-07-11) (aged 81)
Lima, Ohio, U.S.
Playing career
1960–1962Ohio State
1963Grand Rapids Blazers
Position(s)Linebacker, center
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1964–1967Bellefontaine HS (OH)
1967–1968Miami (OH) (assistant)
1969–1972Michigan (DE)
1973–1976Michigan (DC)
1977–1979Illinois
1980–1981Michigan (QB)
1982–1986Michigan (DC)
1987–1989Michigan (OC)
1990–1994Michigan
1995–1996Cincinnati Bengals (TE)
1997–2000Detroit Lions (LB)
2000Detroit Lions
2001Jacksonville Jaguars (DC)
2002–2003Chicago Bears (LB)
Head coaching record
Overall50–37–6 (college)
4–3 (NFL)
Bowls4–1
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
As coach:

As player:

Awards

Gary Oscar Moeller (/ˈmoʊlər/; January 26, 1941 – July 11, 2022) was an American football coach best known for being head coach at the University of Michigan from 1990 to 1994. During his five seasons at Michigan, he won 44 games, lost 13 and tied 3 for a winning percentage of .758. In Big Ten Conference play, his teams won 30 games, lost 8, and tied 2 for a winning percentage of .775, and won or shared conference titles in 1990, 1991 and 1992.[1] He left Michigan in 1995 following a drunken incident. Moeller also coached in professional football and was the head coach of the Detroit Lions for part of the 2000 season. He was the father of former Cleveland Browns offensive line coach Andy Moeller.[2]

Player

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Moeller graduated from Lima Senior High School in 1959, and afterwards attended Ohio State University. He saw his first action on the varsity football team in 1960 as an offensive guard. He switched to linebacker in 1961 and was named an honorable mention all-conference selection by United Press International (UPI) and Associated Press (AP). Moeller served as co-captain in his senior year along with Bob Vogel.[3]

Coach After graduating in 1963, Moeller was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the 5th round of the NFL draft, but did not play for the team.[4] He instead played for the Grand Rapids Blazers of the United Football League (UFL).[3]

Coaching

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High school and college football

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Moeller quit professional football during the 1964 training camp and entered the coaching ranks with Bellefontaine High School in Ohio.[5] He served there as head coach and defensive line coach for several years until joining Bo Schembechler at Miami University in 1967.[6] He moved with Schembechler to Michigan in 1969,[7] where he served as defensive ends coach until 1973, when he was promoted to defensive coordinator.[8] Schembechler had also been an assistant coach at Ohio State when Moeller was a player, and both were members of the FWAA 1961 National Championship team.[9]

Illinois

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Moeller was hired by the University of Illinois as head football coach in 1977, on a five-year contract.[10] After posting a 6–24–3 record in three seasons with the school, he was fired.[11]

Back to Michigan

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Moeller rejoined Michigan in 1980 as an assistant to head coach Bo Schembechler.[12] He was promoted to defensive coordinator in 1982.[13] He led the Michigan defense from 1982 until his position being changed to offensive coordinator in 1987.[14] When coach Schembechler underwent heart surgery prior to the final game of the season, the Hall of Fame Bowl, and could not coach, Moeller was named interim head coach and led the Wolverines to a 28–24 win over Alabama.[15][16]

Head coach

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After three seasons as offensive coordinator, Moeller was named Schembechler's successor as Michigan head coach in 1990.[17] In his first season as head, Moeller helped the team compile a 8–3 regular season record to win the conference title.[18] The Wolverines were invited to the Gator Bowl, where they won 35–3 over the Ole Miss Rebels.[19] Michigan improved to 10–2 in 1991 and repeated as conference champions, but lost 14–34 in the Rose Bowl to Washington.[20] That year, he helped Desmond Howard win the Heisman Trophy and Erick Anderson win the Dick Butkus Award. In 1992, Moeller led the Wolverines to an undefeated 9–0–3 record, a conference championship, and a Rose Bowl win over Washington 38–31, finishing fifth in the national rankings.[21] Michigan compiled an 8–4 record in 1993, placing 21st in the national rankings,[22] and another 8–4 record in 1995.[23]

Moeller resigned in May 1995 after tapes were released of his alleged drunken outburst following an arrest on a charge of disorderly conduct at the now-defunct Excalibur restaurant in Southfield, Michigan, on April 28. It subsequently emerged that he had been fired, but was allowed to save face publicly by resigning.[24][25][26][27] He was succeeded by Lloyd Carr, who had assisted him at both Illinois and Michigan. Both Moeller and Carr served under Schembechler from 1980 to 1989.[28]

NFL

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After Michigan, Moeller was hired in June 1995 by the Cincinnati Bengals as tight ends coach under head coach David Shula and spent two seasons there.[29] In 1997, he joined the Detroit Lions as the assistant head coach and linebackers coach under new head coach Bobby Ross.[30]

Lions head coach

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In 2000, Moeller was named head coach following Ross's sudden resignation nine games into the season.[31] He was given a contract for the remainder of the season and two additional years by owner William Clay Ford Sr., a move that seemingly guaranteed a future with the team. After the team narrowly missed the playoffs (losing their final game on a last-second 54-yard field goal), ownership endorsed Moeller as the Lions head coach for the foreseeable future. However, he was eventually fired by new team president Matt Millen in early 2001 and replaced by Marty Mornhinweg.[32] Moeller finished with a 4–3 record as head coach, making him the only Lions head coach since Joe Schmidt to post a winning record during his tenure (Moeller has since been joined by Jim Caldwell in this regard).[33]

After Detroit

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In 2001, Moeller joined the Jacksonville Jaguars as defensive coordinator under head coach Tom Coughlin.[34] He voluntarily stepped down from that position after one season, signing a three-year contract with the Chicago Bears as linebackers coach under head coach Dick Jauron.[35] He served in that role for two seasons, leaving when Jauron was fired after the 2003 season. He did not coach again after that.[36]

Death

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Moeller died on July 11, 2022, at the age of 81.[37]

Head coaching record

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College

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Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs Coaches# AP°
Illinois Fighting Illini (Big Ten Conference) (1977–1979)
1977 Illinois 3–8 2–6 9th
1978 Illinois 1–8–2 0–6–2 9th
1979 Illinois 2–8–1 1–6–1 9th
Illinois: 6–24–3 3–18–3
Michigan Wolverines (Big Ten Conference) (1990–1994)
1990 Michigan 9–3 6–2 T–1st W Gator 8 7
1991 Michigan 10–2 8–0 1st L Rose 6 6
1992 Michigan 9–0–3 6–0–2 1st W Rose 5 5
1993 Michigan 8–4 5–3 T–4th W Hall of Fame 19 21
1994 Michigan 8–4 5–3 3rd W Holiday 12 12
Michigan: 44–13–3 30–8–2
Total: 50–37–6[38]
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

NFL

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Team Year Regular Season Post Season
Won Lost Ties Win % Finish Won Lost Win % Result
DET 2000 4 3 0 .571 4th in NFC Central 0 0 .000
DET Total 4 3 0 .571 0 0 .000 –
Total[39] 4 3 0 .571 0 0 .000 –

References

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  1. ^ Biography at University of Michigan Athletics History. Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan. Retrieved on July 14, 2009.
  2. ^ "Ravens assistant Moeller arrested for DUI". UPI.com. September 21, 2010. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
  3. ^ a b Dell, Chuck (September 11, 1963). "Ex-Spartan Moeller Enters Pro Ranks". The Lima News. p. 19 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  4. ^ "Gary Moeller Stats". Pro Football Archives.
  5. ^ Dell, Chuck (August 5, 1964). "Sports Scope". The Lima News. p. 24 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  6. ^ Williams, Marty (November 26, 1967). "No Super-Sophs Coming Up, Just Good Miami Prospects". Dayton Daily News. p. 81 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  7. ^ "Former Buckeye". The Herald-Palladium. July 9, 1969. p. 25 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  8. ^ Sylvester, Curt (October 16, 1973). "No-Name Defense Makes Name at U-M". Detroit Free Press. p. 37 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  9. ^ Lage, Larry (July 11, 2022). "Gary Moeller, former Ohio State football captain turned Michigan head coach, dies at 81". WKYC.
  10. ^ "Meoeller's Dismissal Upsets Bo". The Herald-Palladium. November 21, 1979. p. 32 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  11. ^ "Illinois Fires Gary Moeller". The Herald-Palladium. Associated Press. November 21, 1979. p. 32 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  12. ^ "Michigan hires one coach..." Detroit Free Press. March 28, 1980. p. 49 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  13. ^ LaPointe, Joe (September 10, 1982). "Mo's baby: Bo gives Moeller latitude with U-M defense". Detroit Free Press. p. 120 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  14. ^ Foster, Terry (March 20, 1987). "Bo begins search for quarterback". Detroit Free Press. p. 58 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  15. ^ Foster, Terry (December 17, 1987). "Moeller is ready to take responsibility". Detroit Free Press. p. 63, 69 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  16. ^ Vincent, Charlie (January 5, 1988). "Moeller is sitting pretty after Hall of Fame win". Detroit Free Press. p. 33 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  17. ^ Kindred, Randy (July 28, 1990). "Can Moeller fill Bo's shoes". The Pantagraph. p. 41 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  18. ^ Wojnowski, Bob (January 1, 1991). "Wolverines out to prove a point or two". Detroit Free Press. p. 28, 32 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  19. ^ Patton, Robes (January 2, 1991). "Michigan rolls up Rebels, flags". South Florida Sun-Sentinel. p. 26 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  20. ^ Winderman, Ira (January 2, 1992). "Michigan has recurring nightmare". South Florida Sun-Sentinel. p. 40 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  21. ^ Atkins, Harry (January 3, 1993). "Undefeated and unfulfilled". Lansing State Journal. Associated Press. p. 50 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  22. ^ "Strong finish, bowl win pleases U-M's Moeller". Battle Creek Enquirer. Associated Press. January 3, 1994. p. 13 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  23. ^ "'D' is Holiday margin for Michigan". The Daily Item. Associated Press. January 1, 1995. p. 21 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  24. ^ Cain, Charlie. "Reports Detail Moeller's Confrontation With Police." Detroit News, in Seattle Times, May 3, 1995. Retrieved on July 14, 2009.
  25. ^ "Moeller resigns; Carr will be named interim coach; Players voice respect for Moeller Archived May 23, 2016, at the Wayback Machine." The University Record (University of Michigan), May 8, 1995. Retrieved on July 14, 2009.
  26. ^ "Document Indicates Coach Was Forced Out Of Program." Detroit News, in Seattle Times, July 6, 1995. Retrieved on July 14, 2009.
  27. ^ Moeller Bows Out as Michigan Coach : College football: Resignation follows a drunken incident that the athletic director says tarnishes the university's image. <https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-05-05-sp-62736-story.html>
  28. ^ "Sacked". Detroit Free Press. May 5, 1995. p. 21 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  29. ^ Daughtery, Paul (June 27, 1995). "Moeller deserves his 2nd chance". The Cincinnati Enquirer. p. 27 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  30. ^ "Back for Mo". Detroit Free Press. January 21, 1997. p. 17, 21 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  31. ^ Pennington, Bill. "Giants to Face Lions, And a Persistent Moeller." New York Times, November 18, 2000. Retrieved on July 14, 2009.
  32. ^ "Mornhinweg Hired To Coach the Lions." New York Times, January 25, 2001. Retrieved on July 14, 2009.
  33. ^ "Gary Moeller's best career wins with Michigan, Detroit Lions". Detroit Free Press. July 12, 2022.
  34. ^ "New Jobs for Moeller And Cunningham." New York Times, February 7, 2001. Retrieved on July 14, 2009.
  35. ^ Mullin, John. "Bears hire Gary Moeller as linebackers coach." Chicago Tribune, February 22, 2002.
  36. ^ Hole, Isaiah (July 11, 2022). "Former Michigan football head coach Gary Moeller dies". USA Today.
  37. ^ Bianchi, Nolan. "Gary Moeller, former head football coach for Michigan and Lions, dies at 81". The Detroit News. Retrieved July 11, 2022.
  38. ^ "Gary O. Moeller Records by Year". College Football Data Warehouse. Archived from the original on September 14, 2008.
  39. ^ "Gary Moeller Record, Statistics, and Category Ranks". Pro-Football-Reference.com.
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