Former Michigan coach Gary Moeller has passed away
Former Michigan head coach and longtime Bo Schembechler assistant Gary Moeller passed away Monday, July 11. He was 81 years old.
RELATED: Monday Musings – The Michigan NIL collective is picking up steam
Moeller, a three-year letter winner at Ohio State, was a co-captain at OSU his senior year. The former linebacker played for Woody Hayes in the early 1960s, started his coaching career in high school before joining Schembechler’s staff at Miami (Ohio) in 1967. He went to Michigan with Schembechler before accepting the head coaching job at Illinois from 1977 to ’79, rejoining the U-M staff after being let go by the Illini.
Moeller was a Michigan assistant again from 1980 to ’89, serving in several roles including defensive and offensive coordinator. He took over for Schembechler as head coach in 1990 after Schembechler announced his retirement and won Big Ten titles in his first three seasons, sharing it in 1990. The Wolverines had a Heisman winner in receiver Desmond Howard in 1991 and won the Rose Bowl behind running back Tyrone Wheatley’s huge game in 1993 (1992 season).
The late Michigan coach was Big Ten Coach of the Year in 1991 and 1992.
Moeller won 44 games, lost 13 and tied three for a winning percentage of .758 in his five seasons at Michigan. His Wolverines won 30 games, lost eight and tied two for a winning percentage of .775 in Big Ten play, but he was let go after the ’94 season following an off-field incident.
The Lima, Ohio native served as Detroit Lions head coach on an interim basis in 2000 and coached linebackers for the Chicago Bears in 2002-03, his last coaching stint. He coached his son, Andy — a starting linebacker — at Michigan in the 1980s. Andy would also become a Michigan assistant under Lloyd Carr (2002-07) before going on to coach in the NFL for several years.
Top 10
- 1
Clemson portal visitor
Dabo Swinney approach change?
- 2New
Bill Belichick contract
New details revealed
- 3Trending
Dick Vitale
Announces he's cancer free
- 4
Home field disadvantages
CFP will script in-game atmosphere for home teams
- 5Hot
Top 10 most-watched teams
CFB viewers have spoken
Get the On3 Top 10 to your inbox every morning
“Gary Moeller was a great family man, great friend, great coach, and a man of integrity and high character. I admired him, I respected him and I loved him,” Lloyd Carr said in a release.
“I was fortunate enough to work with Coach Mo at both Miami (Ohio) and Michigan,” retired equipment manager Jon Falk said. “Gary Moeller was a coach that looked out for everyone that worked with him and for all of the players that played for him and represented our program.
“He was a good-hearted man who made decisions and sought input from his staff to make sure that the decisions were right for Michigan. Gary Moeller will be missed but will not be forgotten. He was a great Michigan Man and a close friend to my family.”
