Former CFL coach Rich Stubler, part of 5 Grey Cup-winning teams, dead at 74

Rich Stubler, who served as an assistant coach or head coach with six different CFL teams, has died. He was 74.

An official at Clearwater Academy International, a prep school in Florida where Stubler had served as defensive co-ordinator, confirmed Stubler's passing.

The cause of death wasn't immediately known.

Stubler, of Glenwood Springs, Colo., first came to Canada in 1983 as the Hamilton Tiger-Cats' defensive co-ordinator, a post he led through 1986.

He also spent time with the Toronto Argonauts, Edmonton Elks, B.C. Lions, Calgary Stampeders and Montreal Alouettes, sometimes having multiple stints with an organization.

Stubler also had multiple stints with Edmonton and B.C. either as a defensive co-ordinator or position coach.

Stubler was part of five Grey Cup-winning teams during his time in Canada and was regarded as one of the CFL's most innovative defensive coaches. One of his championship seasons was in 2014 as Calgary's defensive co-ordinator.

"Rich was a football junkie," Calgary head coach/GM Dave Dickenson said. "He lived his life to the fullest.

"We will miss his spirit but we are thankful to have had him as part of our Stampeders family."

Stubler spent two seasons in Calgary, where the Stampeders boasted one of the CFL's stingiest defences. The club allowed 347 points in 2014 and 346 in '15, finishing second overall in that category in each of those seasons.

Stubler's coaching resume also included stops in the NCAA at Colorado, New Mexico, Southern Methodist, Colorado State, New Mexico State, Oregon as well as the Arena Football League's Detroit Fury.