![]() ![]() He was offensive coordinator for Schembechler's final three seasons (1987-89). Moeller was hired as head coach at Illinois in 1977 and was there for three seasons before returning to U-M in 1980, first as quarterbacks coach until 1982, when he became defensive coordinator again. So too, did Steve Kornacki, longtime sports reporter for the Free Press. He joined Schembechler at Miami (Ohio) in 1967 and followed along to Ann Arbor in 1969, first as defensive ends coach and eventually defensive coordinator, beginning in 1973. Gary Moeller lived in the Dicken neighborhood in Ann Arbor when he coached the Wolverines, one mile west of the Big House. "If you see a kid you can help, you pay it forward." "Woody always told us was pay it forward," Kornacki recalled Moeller saying. He played for Woody Hayes and Kornacki said Moeller explained why he would befriend as many people as he could, even in his position of power. Moeller finished his coaching career as defensive coordinator of the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2001 and linebackers coach for the Chicago Bears for 2002-03.Īn Ohio State grad and football letter winner, Moeller began his coaching career in Ohio high schools in 1963. He was offered and accepted a contract extension from the Ford Family, but new Lions general manager Matt Millen let him go in 2001. When Ross resigned midway through the 2000 season, Moeller was promoted to interim head coach and led the Lions to a 4-3 record, narrowly missing the postseason. "He saw an opening to get back at him and I think he took it."Īfter leaving U-M, Moeller was hired onto the Cincinnati Bengals staff and after two years joined the Lions as assistant head coach and linebackers coach under Bobby Ross. Duderstadt resented Bo's power," Kornacki said. When Schembechler retired in 1989, he was still athletic director, and hand-picked Moeller. ![]() He'd followed Schembechler from Miami Ohio to Michigan and spent the majority of two decades with him. Kornacki contests the decision was made because of how Moeller got the job. "That's what Mo could do," said Kornacki. ![]() He also played a key role in getting Dearborn Heights Robichaud star Tyrone Wheatley to join U-M. He was the head coach in 1991, when Desmond Howard won U-M's second Heisman Trophy and was the lead recruiter in the push for Howard to commit to the Wolverines from Cleveland St. "Gary Moeller was a great family man, great friend, great coach and a man of integrity and high character," former coach Lloyd Carr, who followed him from 1995-2007, said in a released statement. "I admired him, I respected him and I loved him." Moeller's teams finished in the top 20 in the national polls each of his five seasons. The Wolverines scored a commitment Monday from four-star offensive tackle Evan Link from Gonzaga High School. In five seasons at U-M, Moeller was 44-13-3 and won three Big Ten championship and the 1993 Rose Bowl over Washington. A run of misfortune for Michigan football ’s offensive line recruiting is finally over. Moeller was a longtime assistant coach under Bo Schembechler and replaced the legendary coach in 1990 upon Schembechler's retirement. Moeller, the former Michigan football coach who later served as interim coach with the Detroit Lions, died on Monday at the age of 81. It's why the chapter on Moeller in Kornacki's book “Go Blue! The Greatest Stories in Michigan Football History," is titled 'Just Like a Good Neighbor." He told them stories, couldn’t have been nicer." "He treated my sons like he was recruiting them for Michigan. Two games into the season isn’t optimal timing to be nursing this many maladies already, and the Spartans need to get as healthy as possible for the trip to Washington.Ĭontact Chris Solari. MSU lost defensive tackles Jacob Slade and Maverick Hansen and safety Angelo Grose at points to in-game injuries, and Thorne sat out a drive after taking a crunching hit on his second interception. Henderson and Snow already were out, as were defensive tackles Dashaun Mallory and Jalen Hunt among others on the defense. ∙ Team health: Tucker didn’t specify Jayden Reed’s injury, which knocked him out of the game in the first half after he crashed hard into Akron’s bench. He finished with two tackles, one of them for a 9-yard loss, but finding snaps behind those three veterans right now is a challenge for the sophomore. Gaoteote, Mel Tucker’s first four-star signing in the 2021 class, didn’t get in until the game was well in hand. ∙ LB Ma’a Gaoteote: Even with Darius Snow out, the Spartans primarily used just three linebackers - Ben VanSumeren and Cal Haladay started, with Aaron Brule rotating in - for most of the game. ![]() He now has three interceptions on the season and four touchdowns after just his second time as a starter not throwing a scoring pass. Thorne had two against Akron on Saturday, both of which came when he got hit on blitzes and tried to force a throw rather than taking a sack. ![]()
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