_(1).jpg) Moeller in 2014 | |
| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1941-01-26)January 26, 1941 Lima, Ohio, U.S. |
| Died | July 11, 2022(2022-07-11) (aged 81) Lima, Ohio, U.S. |
| Playing career | |
| 1960–1962 | Ohio State |
| 1963 | Grand Rapids Blazers |
| Positions | Linebacker,center |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1964–1967 | Bellefontaine HS (OH) |
| 1967–1968 | Miami (OH) (assistant) |
| 1969–1972 | Michigan (DE) |
| 1973–1976 | Michigan (DC) |
| 1977–1979 | Illinois |
| 1980–1981 | Michigan (QB) |
| 1982–1986 | Michigan (DC) |
| 1987–1989 | Michigan (OC) |
| 1990–1994 | Michigan |
| 1995–1996 | Cincinnati Bengals (TE) |
| 1997–2000 | Detroit Lions (LB) |
| 2000 | Detroit Lions |
| 2001 | Jacksonville Jaguars (DC) |
| 2002–2003 | Chicago Bears (LB) |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 50–37–6 (college) 4–3 (NFL) |
| Bowls | 4–1 |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
As coach:
As player: | |
| Awards | |
| |
Gary Oscar Moeller (/ˈmoʊlər/; January 26, 1941 – July 11, 2022) was an Americanfootball coach best known for being head coach at theUniversity 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. InBig 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 theDetroit Lions for part of the 2000 season. He was the father of formerCleveland Browns offensive line coachAndy Moeller.[2]
Moeller graduated fromLima Senior High School in 1959, and afterwards attendedOhio State University. He saw his first action on thevarsity football team in 1960 as anoffensive guard. He switched tolinebacker in 1961 and was named an honorable mention all-conference selection byUnited Press International (UPI) andAssociated Press (AP). Moeller served as co-captain in hissenior year along withBob Vogel.[3]
After graduating in 1963, Moeller was drafted by theSan Francisco 49ers in the 5th round of theNFL draft, but did not play for the team.[4] He instead played for theGrand Rapids Blazers of theUnited Football League (UFL).[3]
Moeller quit professional football during the 1964 training camp and entered the coaching ranks withBellefontaine High School in Ohio.[5] He served there as head coach and defensive line coach for several years until joiningBo Schembechler atMiami 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 todefensive coordinator.[8] Schembechler had also been an assistant coach at Ohio State when Moeller was a player, and both were members of theFWAA 1961 National Championship team.[9]
Moeller was hired by theUniversity 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]
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 tooffensive coordinator in 1987.[14] When coach Schembechler underwent heart surgery prior to the final game of the season, theHall of Fame Bowl, and could not coach, Moeller was named interim head coach and led the Wolverines to a 28–24 win overAlabama.[15][16]
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 theGator Bowl, where they won 35–3 over theOle Miss Rebels.[19] Michigan improved to 10–2 in1991 and repeated as conference champions, but lost 14–34 in theRose Bowl toWashington.[20] That year, he helpedDesmond Howard win theHeisman Trophy andErick Anderson win theDick Butkus Award. In1992, Moeller led the Wolverines to an undefeated 9–0–3 record, a conference championship, and aRose 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 1994.[23]
Moeller resigned in May 1995 after tapes were released of his allegeddrunken outburst following an arrest on a charge of disorderly conduct at the now-defunct Excalibur restaurant inSouthfield, 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 byLloyd Carr, who had assisted him at both Illinois and Michigan. Both Moeller and Carr served under Schembechler from 1980 to 1989.[28]
After Michigan, Moeller was hired in June 1995 by theCincinnati Bengals as tight ends coach under head coachDavid Shula and spent two seasons there.[29] In 1997, he joined theDetroit Lions as the assistant head coach and linebackers coach under new head coachBobby Ross.[30]
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 ownerWilliam 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-yardfield goal), ownership endorsed Moeller as the Lions head coach for the foreseeable future. However, he was eventually fired by new team presidentMatt Millen in early 2001 and replaced byMarty Mornhinweg.[32] Moeller finished with a 4–3 record as head coach, making him the only Lions head coach sinceJoe Schmidt to post a winning record during his tenure (Moeller has since been joined byJim Caldwell andDan Campbell in this regard).[33]
In 2001, Moeller joined theJacksonville Jaguars as defensive coordinator under head coachTom Coughlin.[34] He voluntarily stepped down from that position after one season, signing a three-year contract with theChicago Bears as linebackers coach under head coachDick 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]
Moeller died on July 11, 2022, at the age of 81.[37]
| 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 | WGator | 8 | 7 | ||
| 1991 | Michigan | 10–2 | 8–0 | 1st | LRose | 6 | 6 | ||
| 1992 | Michigan | 9–0–3 | 6–0–2 | 1st | WRose | 5 | 5 | ||
| 1993 | Michigan | 8–4 | 5–3 | T–4th | WHall of Fame | 19 | 21 | ||
| 1994 | Michigan | 8–4 | 5–3 | 3rd | WHoliday | 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 | |||||||||
| |||||||||
| Team | Year | Regular season | Postseason | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | – | ||
