Gary Moeller
Lima native Gary Moeller, who played for The Ohio State University and coached the University of Michigan died Monday morning. He was 81.
According to the mgoblue.com website, Moeller spent 23 years associated with the Michigan football program. He was one of 11 coaches in school history to work with the program for more than 20 years.
Athletic department officials reacted to Moeller’s life and death.
“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,” said retired Michigan head football coach Lloyd Carr.
“I was fortunate enough to work with Coach Mo at both Miami (Ohio) and Michigan,” said Jon Falk, retired Michigan football equipment manager. “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 close friend to my family.”
Moeller coached the University of Michigan from 1990 to 1994 and compiled a 44-13-2 record. In that time Michigan went to five bowl games and two Rose Bowls. In 1992, he was the Big Ten coach of the year.
In 1995, Moeller resigned from Michigan after being charged with disorderly conduct.
Moeller went on to be an assistant coach in the NFL for the Cincinnati Bengals, Detroit Lions, Jacksonville Jaguars and Chicago Bears. Moeller took over as the Lions’ head coach midway through the 2000 season where he finished with a 9-7 season.
Prior to his coaching career, Moeller was a standout athlete at Lima South and Lima Senior where he was a three-sport athlete, excelling in football, baseball and basketball. In 1958, he was named to the All-Greater Ohio League football team and the UPI All-Ohio Football team.
In 2018, Moeller was a member of the first group to be inducted into the Lima Senior Athletic Hall of Fame.
Moeller attended The Ohio State University. He was the Buckeyes’ captain of the 1962 team and received All-America honorable mention honors.
Legendary Buckeye head coach Woody Hayes described Moeller as “one of the finest linebackers in Buckeye grid history.”
After a short-lived NFL career, Moeller turned to coaching and was named the Bellefontaine high school head coach in 1965 and then jumped to the college ranks when he was named freshman football coach at Miami of Ohio in 1967.
Moeller arrived in Michigan in 1969 as an assistant coach under Bo Schembechler but in 1977 took the head coaching job at the University of Illinois. He returned to Ann Arbor and replaced Schembechler as the Michigan head coach.
Moeller is survived by his wife, Ann; three daughters, Susan, Amy and Molly; and son, Andy, a former linebacker and captain for the Wolverines.
Visitation will be Friday from 2-8 p.m. at Chiles-Laman Funeral Home, Shawnee Chapel, 1170 Shawnee Road in Lima.
