Skip to main content
Join Now
Team Avatar
Michigan

Desmond Howard gives unique perspective on Gary Moeller's legacy at Michigan

Alex Weberby: Alex Weber07/12/22Alexhweber
On3 image
Photo by David Dermer/Getty Images

Former Michigan football coach Gary Moeller passed away Monday, July 11th. Leaving the Wolverine football community in mourning. Moeller served as UM head coach for five years from 1990-1994 and coached Heisman Trophy winner Desmond Howard while in Ann Arbor.

Moeller also recruited another Michigan Heisman winner, Charles Woodson, who won the award a few years after Moeller left. With both guys committing to Moeller’s Michigan out of high school from hometowns in Ohio, Howard believes those recruiting wins should be a major part of the coach’s legacy.

Associated Press sportswriter Larry Lage said he caught up with Howard, who expressed how impressive that feat was. “Coach Moeller went into Ohio enemy territory and snatched up two Heisman Trophy winners in less than 10 years,” Howard said, according to Lage.

Howard also added: “That’s pretty significant and that should be part of his legacy. He didn’t get his due for being as good of a coach as he was, but those who played for him and were around him knew it. They also knew he was a nice, great guy.”

Howard on Moeller leaving Michigan

Desmond Howard also commented on Moeller’s controversial resignation from the program in 1995. The UM coach was arrested that offseason following a belligerent evening at a local restaurant. Where he smashed glasses, harassed waitresses and punched a police officer. Following the event, Howard claimed, “he got pressure from administration to resign and the whole thing was messed up.”

But the former Wolverine noted Moeller likely could have kept his job if former coach Bo Schembechler was in town. Moeller was his underling before taking over the job himself. Howard believed Moeller’s resignation “wouldn’t have happened if Bo was in town because he was that powerful, and no one would have overruled him.”

Alas, it was a sour ending for Moeller in Michigan. Not to let one awful night take away from an otherwise successful career. Many former Michigan players like Desmond Howard sang his praises. With many coming out to offer kind words for their former coach amid his passing.