Another Mueller joins the Rams
By Ian Hamilton, Leader-Post
January 15, 2010
Offence will be going against defence
at the Mueller dinner table.
The University of Regina Rams announced Thursday that Larry
Mueller has joined the Canada West football team's staff as its
linebackers coach. Mueller's son Marc is the Rams' starting
quarterback.
So how is Thursday's news going to change the dynamic in the
household?
"Defence wins championships," Larry Mueller, 50, said with a
chuckle. "I don't care what those guys on the other side say."
Even when one of them is your son?
"He's OK," Mueller replied sarcastically. "He's not going to be
the best quarterback we play."
Larry Mueller replaces Jeff Zimmer, whom Rams head coach Frank
McCrystal said had other time commitments.
Mueller played linebacker with the junior Regina Rams from 1977
through '81, winning national titles in 1980 and '81. His
coaching experience includes five seasons at Sheldon-Williams
Collegiate -- and in three of those seasons, Marc was the
Spartans' quarterback.
"The first thing I said to Frank (when he asked Larry to join
his staff) was, 'Which 12 coaches turned you down?' " said
Mueller, who had stints as the Spartans' linebackers coach,
defensive co-ordinator and special-teams coach. "Frank said,
'No, you're the guy I want,' which I'm still not sure I believe.
"The next conversation I had was with Marc. I didn't want to
encroach on his enjoyment here. He said, 'It won't be a
problem.' "
McCrystal, who was Larry Mueller's position coach with the Rams
from 1979 through '81, suggested the characteristics he saw back
then would serve the U of R's defence well now.
"Larry epitomizes linebackers," said McCrystal. "He's aggressive
and outgoing. He certainly brings not only knowledge and
understanding of the game, but also passion and fire to the game
that's of real value to the linebacker position."
"I'm a scheme guy, an energy guy, an attitude guy," Mueller
noted. "I'm not a technical guy. I won't teach the rip and the
swim (moves). I'll say, 'You know where you have to be. When the
ball is snapped, just get there.'
"I know enough of (the technical things)," he added. "I'll do
lots of homework in the next while. But I'm a scheme guy. I'll
look more at what other teams are doing and what other
linebackers are doing."
Mueller also has served on the Rams' board of directors and as
the president and treasurer of Regina Rams Alumni. As well, he
was the assistant general manager of the CFL's Saskatchewan
Roughriders from 1989 to '92
"Having coached Larry, I trust him," McCrystal said. "He's very
loyal to the Rams program and to me. Those are important things
to your selection of coaches.
"When I ran the idea by the defensive co-ordinator (Paul Dawson)
and the other coaches, their immediate reaction was, 'Yes.' They
were onside and very supportive."
"They've got some great teachers in Paul Dawson, (defensive line
coach) Greg Nesbitt, (defensive backs co-coach) Darcy Koch and
(defensive backs co-coach) Blaine Pearce," Mueller noted.
"I'll develop relationships with the linebackers and we'll have
some chuckles."
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