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 Stubler before a Lions game in 2019 | |
| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1949-08-04)August 4, 1949 Glenwood Springs, Colorado, U.S. |
| Died | August 27, 2023(2023-08-27) (aged 74) |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1971–1973 | Roaring Fork HS (defence) |
| 1974 | Colorado (freshmen) |
| 1975–1977 | New Mexico State (DB coach) |
| 1978 | SMU (DB coach) |
| 1979–1982 | Colorado State (DC/DB coach) |
| 1983–1989 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats (DC) |
| 1990 | Toronto Argonauts (DC) |
| 1991–1995 | Edmonton Eskimos (DC) |
| 1996–1997 | Oregon (DC) |
| 1998–1999 | Edmonton Eskimos (DC) |
| 2000 | BC Lions (DC) |
| 2001–2002 | Detroit Fury (DC) |
| 2003–2007 | Toronto Argonauts (Asst. HC/DC) |
| 2008 | Toronto Argonauts |
| 2009 | Cedaredge HS |
| 2010 | BC Lions (DL coach) |
| 2011 | Edmonton Eskimos (DC) |
| 2012–2013 | BC Lions (DC) |
| 2014–2015 | Calgary Stampeders (DC) |
| 2016 | Toronto Argonauts (DC) |
| 2018 | Montreal Alouettes (DC) |
| 2019 | BC Lions (DC/LB) |
| 2020 | Montana State–Northern (DC) |
| 2021 | Toronto Argonauts (Asst. Coach) |
| 2022 | Clearwater Academy International (Defensive coordinator) |
Richard Stubler (August 4, 1949 – August 27, 2023) was an Americanfootball coach, primarily in theCanadian Football League (CFL). He was most recently an assistant coach for theToronto Argonauts. He is a five-timeGrey Cup champion, all as a defensive coordinator, and was formerly thehead coach of the Argonauts. He has been coaching since the 1970s and has coached at the high school level,NCAA,Arena Football League and the CFL.
Stubler was born in Glenwood Springs, Colorado.[1] After graduating from theUniversity of Northern Colorado, Stubler began his coaching career in 1971 at Roaring Fork High School inCarbondale, Colorado. After winning 30 games and a state championship in three seasons, he moved on in 1974 to be thefreshmen coach for theUniversity of Colorado at Boulder team.[2] Stubler was then theNew Mexico State Aggies' secondary coach from 1975 to 1977. After that, he spent one season with the Mustangs ofSouthern Methodist University. Stubler was a member of theColorado State Rams coaching staff from 1979–82.[3]
Rich Stubler began his CFL coaching career in1983 when he joined theHamilton Tiger-Cats, helping lead the team to aGrey Cup in1986 as linebackers coach.[citation needed] In 1990, Stubler was thedefensive coordinator for the Toronto Argonauts. He joined theEdmonton Eskimos’ coaching staff in1991, winning his second league championship in1993. Stubler's "Edge" defense was noteworthy for lining up defensive tackles and ends 1-2 yards off the line of scrimmage to offer defensive linemen better vision and tackling angles; it allowed the fewest points in their division in the 1993 season (12-3 record in the CFL West), the second fewest in the 1994 season (13-5 in the CFL West), and the fewest in the 1995 season (13-5 in the CFL North).[citation needed]
Following the 1995 season, Stubler was hired as Defensive Coordinator byUniversity of Oregon Head CoachMike Bellotti. Bellotti, with a team fresh off appearances in the 1994 Rose Bowl (with Nick Allioti, Defensive Coordinator) and the 1995 Cotton Bowl (with Charlie Waters, Defensive Coordinator), was intrigued by Stubler's defensive innovation. Whether due to personnel, strategy, or the differences between CFL and NCAA football, Stubler's Oregon defenses could not duplicate Edmonton's success: Oregon finished the 1996 Pac-10 season with the 9th rated defense in the conference, a 6-5 (3-5 Pac-10) record, and did not go to a bowl; Oregon finished the 1997 Pac-10 season with the 10th rated defense (440.5 ypg, 30.6 ppg) in the conference, a 7-5 (3-5 Pac-10) record, and played in theLas Vegas Bowl. Stubler resigned from Oregon prior to the Las Vegas Bowl in December, 1997.[citation needed]
Stubler resumed his career in the CFL, rejoining the Edmonton Eskimos from1998 to1999 before moving on to help theBC Lions capture the Grey Cup in2000.[3]
Stubler coached in theArena Football League as the defensive coordinator for the expansionDetroit Fury from2001 to2002.[3]
Upon the conclusion of both AFL seasons, Stubler rejoined the Toronto Argonauts late into their seasons as a defensive consultant. In2003 Stubler joined the Argonauts full-time as their defensive coordinator. In2004, the Argonauts defeated the BC Lions 27–19 in the92nd Grey Cup to give Stubler his fourth championship.[3] On December 6, 2007, he was announced to replace the outgoingPinball Clemons as head coach of the Argonauts for2008.[4] After a 4–6 start to the 2008 season, Stubler was fired as head coach of the Toronto Argonauts on September 9, 2008, and replaced with former Argonauts' head coachDon Matthews.[5]
For the 2009 off-season and the 2009 season, Stubler was hired by Cedaredge High School, the small public high school ofCedaredge, Colorado, as head coach. Stubler explained his choice for the no-name football team with needing a break.[6] The team, which had shown weak performances in previous years, finished the season with Stubler with 2 wins out of 10 games (no draws).[7]
On March 21, 2010, it was announced that Stubler had accepted a defensive line coaching position with the BC Lions.[8] For the 2011 season, Stubler returned for his third stint with the Eskimos, as the team's defensive coordinator.[citation needed] He then returned to the Lions for the2012 and2013 seasons, this time as the team's defensive coordinator.[citation needed]
On December 19, 2013, Stubler was announced as the defensive coordinator for theCalgary Stampeders.[9] He won his fifthGrey Cup championship as the Stampeders won the102nd Grey Cup in2014. He also spent the2015 season with the Stampeders before moving on to theToronto Argonauts for the2016 season.[citation needed]
On January 3, 2018, Stubler became the special adviser to defensive coordinatorKahlil Carter for theMontreal Alouettes for the2018 CFL season.[10] Following Carter's pre-season reassignment, he was then named the team's defensive coordinator. On December 17, 2018, he was hired as the defensive coordinator of the BC Lions, a role he held in2000.[11] He spent one season with the Lions and was not retained following head coachDeVone Claybrooks' dismissal after his one year with the club.[citation needed]
He did not coach in 2020 due to the cancellation of the2020 CFL season and joined theToronto Argonauts in an assistant coach capacity in July 2021.[12] He was not retained by the team for the 2022 season.[13]
Stubler died on August 27, 2023, at the age of 74.[14]
| Team | Year | Regular Season | Post Season | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Won | Lost | Ties | Win % | Finish | Won | Lost | Result | |||
| TOR | 2008 | 4 | 6 | 0 | .400 | 3rd in East Division | – | – | Fired | |
