Grandson of legendary Rider quarterback
By Rob Vanstone,
Regina Leader-Post
Marc Mueller’s collection of football memorabilia includes a jersey worn by his grandfather, Ron Lancaster, during the CFL’s televised All-Pro Countdown skills competition in the 1970s.
Lately, Mueller has been focusing on a countdown of a different variety.
The Sheldon-Williams Spartans quarterback has been counting down the days until the Regina Intercollegiate Football League’s 2006 regular-season opener since the evening of Nov. 7.
“I’ve been waiting to play football since the minute after we lost to Riffel in the city final,” Mueller said in reference to the Riffel Royals’ 28-15 victory in the 2005 Schwann Conference (4A) championship game.
“We expected to win and be practising the next day. I’ve wanted to get back on the field ever since then.”
Mueller will savour a long-awaited return to the Taylor Field turf when the Spartans play the Winston Knoll Wolverines today at 3:30 p.m. In advance of the season, he has practised at a higher level than anyone else in the RIFL.
Each summer, Mueller heads eastward to spend time with his legendary grandfather, who is the Hamilton Tiger-Cats’ head coach and senior director of football operations. The most-recent excursion was especially memorable.
Over 31/2 weeks — a week longer than initially planned — Mueller immersed himself in the Tiger-Cats’ preparation process. He attended all offensive meetings, threw the football to receivers and running backs while they warmed up in practice, broke down film, and helped with the reproduction and distribution of game plans. He was on the sideline for four consecutive CFL games.
“(Going to Hamilton) was always something I took for granted,” Mueller recalled. “I was always there.
“Until this year, I had never gone to meetings. Coach Perry (Marchese, offensive assistant) made me come to the first one and I kept going. It was almost a doubling of what I knew before, just being able to sit in meetings with (CFL veterans) Jason Maas, Terry Vaughn and Mike Morreale.”
Mueller became highly familiar to Hamilton’s players. When the Tiger-Cats visited Regina to play the Saskatchewan Roughriders in mid-August, Maas ended up in the same hotel elevator as Mueller’s mother (and Lancaster’s daughter), Lana.
When Lana introduced herself, Maas instantly responded, “Oh, you’re Marc’s mom!”
The 17-year-old Mueller appreciates his good fortune. He does not have to be reminded that few high school players have access to such expert tutelage.
During previous trips to Hamilton, former Tiger-Cats quarterback Danny McManus became a mentor and close friend. McManus worked closely with Mueller to refine his throwing mechanics. Sheldon’s pass-oriented playbook is reminiscent of the offence Hamilton used while taking advantage of McManus’s quick release.
Not coincidentally, Mueller wears No. 14 — the same number as McManus, who is now with the Calgary Stampeders.
Despite the influence of Lancaster and McManus, it was not preordained that Mueller would play quarterback.
“I only really started to play quarterback in my last year of atom,” Mueller said of his time with Regina Minor Football’s Kats. “I was supposed to play offensive line or tight end, but the other quarterback couldn’t take a snap.”
Next in line: Marc Mueller.
There are striking similarities between Mueller and Lancaster, who was the Roughriders’ quarterback from 1963 to 1978.
Like his grandfather, Mueller is a football addict. The pair will discuss strategy, among other things, several times a week over the phone.
Lana remembers her father spending countless hours at home watching film. Nowadays, Marc often monopolizes the VCR while dissecting footage of Spartans games, often in the company of his father (Larry) and Sheldon teammates.
“I love football,” said Marc, who also plays senior boys basketball at Sheldon. “There’s no better game than football.
“It’s the ultimate team game. In basketball, you can have two or three good players or a big guy down low and you can dominate. In football, you need all 12 guys — all 24 guys, counting defence — to play together. The guy beside you has to get it done and you have to get it done, too.”
Mueller got it done last season, finishing as the Schwann Conference’s runaway leader in passing yards (1,458 in seven games) and touchdown passes (15). Regardless of the outcome, Mueller is pleasant and approachable. He greets everyone with a handshake.
“He’s very level-headed,” Lana said. “Sometimes it surprises me and I forget he’s 17.
“We’ve always told him to make sure he’s polite. It’s nice to go to the school and meet people who say he’s such a nice and polite kid.”
Lana also receives feedback from people who notice similarities in how her father and son carry themselves.
“I think it has a lot to do with Marc being around my dad all of his life,” Lana said. “Ever since he was three, Dad has always said, ‘Come on, Marc, let’s go to the press conference.’ When he goes to Hamilton, he’s around him in the office all the time.
“He has always been a little more mature in that respect. I don’t know if it’s because he’s an only child and therefore he’s used to spending a lot of time with adults. Dad says Marc was born mature.”
Even so, Marc does not focus on the looming responsibilities of adulthood. The 5-foot-11, 185-pounder would love to play football at the next level — whether that is in the university ranks or PFC — but is concentrating on immediate priorities.
“I get to play football with a great bunch of guys and represent my school,” Mueller said with a smile. “It doesn’t get much better than this.”
