Mike "Mo" Scarry

Mike (Mo) Scarry, who was a Dolphins assistant coach under Don Shula for 16 years, died Sunday at his home in Fort Myers. He was 92.

Scarry joined Shula when the head coach came to the Dolphins in 1970 and was part of the Perfect Season in 1972. Scarry served as defensive line coach until 1975, when he was also put in charge of run defense. He remained in both jobs until he retired after the 1985 season.

"I've been blessed with some great assistant coaches," Shula told the Fort Myers News-Press. "He has to be considered one of the best. He was like a father figure to me."

Scarry worked with defensive coach Bill Arnsparger in putting together the No-Name Defense that helped the Dolphins reach three straight Super Bowls starting in 1972 and five in all during his tenure.

Among the defensive linemen he coached were Bill Stanfill, Manny Fernandez, Vern Den Herder, Bob Baumhower, Doug Betters and A.J. Duhe.

Scarry served in North Africa in the Army in World War II, then began his playing career as a center with the Cleveland Rams in 1944. When the Rams relocated to Los Angeles in 1946, Scarry moved to the Cleveland Browns, who were entering their first season in the NFL. He retired after the 1947 season.

He became a college coach in the late 1940s and began his NFL coaching career as an assistant with the Washington Redskins (1966-68). He scouted for the Redskins in 1969 before joining Shula.

Though Scarry retired in 1985, he still helped Shula from the press box as a volunteer assistant on game days.

Scarry's son, Mike, was head coach at Bishop Verot High School in Fort Myers. Scarry joined his son as a volunteer assistant in 1994 with the understanding that he would attend practice just twice a week. That plan was abandoned soon afterward and Scarry became a fixture on the practice field.

Mike and Mo Scarry continued to follow the Dolphins closely, making trips to home games twice a year as long as the elder Scarry's health allowed it.

His funeral is scheduled for 9 a.m. Saturday at the Church of the Resurrection in Fort Myers.