The Saskatchewan Roughriders will be forced to look elsewhere for their offensive coordinator after top candidate Marc Mueller announced on Friday that he has withdrawn his candidacy for the role.
After interviewing for both the Riders’ job and the head coaching position with the Ottawa Redblacks, Mueller has decided to remain with the Calgary Stampeders as their quarterbacks coach.
“I’m excited to be in Calgary and stay with the organization that I enjoy working for and working with the people who have been good to me,” Mueller said in an exclusive interview with Murray McCormick of the Regina Leader-Post. “I enjoy working with them every day.”
A Regina native and the grandson of legendary Riders’ quarterback Ron Lancaster, Mueller was seen by many as the most enticing candidate to take over the vacant position left by the firing of Jason Maas.
After a record-setting career at quarterback for the University of Regina Rams, he broke into coaching with his alma mater before joining the Stampeders in 2014 as a defensive assistant.
Mueller moved back to offence a year later, coaching running backs from 2015 to 2019. During that span, Calgary finished top two in rushing touchdowns three times and Jerome Messam claimed the CFL’s Most Outstanding Canadian award after leading the league in rushing in 2016.
The budding young coach was assigned to the quarterbacks ahead of the cancelled 2020 season, taking over for current Toronto Argonauts head coach Ryan Dinwiddie. Mueller has overseen the team’s transition from future Hall of Famer Bo Levi Mitchell to youngster Jake Maier and has established himself as a top candidate for promotion elsewhere after being groomed by head coach Dave Dickenson.
However, the Canadian quarterback guru feels a tenth season in Calgary is what’s best for his career, though he does not regret testing the waters.
“It was a great experience with great people and great organizations,” Mueller said. “At the end of the day, I’m very lucky to work for a great organization in Calgary with great people like (general manager and president) John Hufnagel and (head coach) Dave Dickenson in the coaches’ office.”
The Riders have also interviewed former Montreal Alouettes head coach Khari Jones, Argos’ receivers coach Pete Costanza, Bombers’ offensive line coach Marty Costello, while reportedly requesting permission to speak with Elks’ QB coach Jarious Jackson. However, the team’s current running backs coach Kelly Jeffery has also interviewed and appears to be a dark-horse candidate for the job.
