Legendary college football coach Howard Schnellenberger dies at 87
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March 27, 2021, 1:49 PM
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Share to FacebookShare to TwitterEmail this articleHoward Schnellenberger, who led Miami to its first national championship and in the process turned a once-floundering football program into a dynasty, died on Saturday, his family announced. He was 87.
What Schnellenberger did at Miami remains one of the greatest transformations in college football history. Before his arrival in 1979, Miami administrators considered dropping the sport as the losses mounted and morale dipped.
But after he helped deliver the 1983 national championship, Miami won three more national titles over the next six seasons. Though he was only there for the '83 title, the speed and athleticism the Hurricanes first displayed under Schnellenberger became a blueprint for programs across the country.
"The loss of Coach Schnellenberger is immeasurable in so many ways for the University of Miami family," said Miami AD Blake James in a prepared statement. "He helped our University grow during a critical period of time and established a foundation for future success, on the football field and off. Our thoughts are with his family, friend, former colleagues and players, He will forever be a Hurricane."
His impact went beyond Miami. Schnellenberger later revitalized his hometown Louisville Cardinals and built Florida Atlantic football from scratch, leaving an indelible mark on three college football programs over three decades.
His baritone voice, bushy mustache and ever-present pipe made him look more businessman than football coach, but they became as synonymous with Schnellenberger as his penchant for embracing reclamation projects.
He did that first with Miami, a job friends urged him to avoid because it looked like a dead end. Schnellenberger saw something else and declared that Miami would win a national championship within five years. He ratcheted up the discipline inside the program and focused his recruiting efforts primarily on the untapped potential across South Florida, declaring the area the "State of Miami."
It did not take long for Miami to climb to national relevance, culminating in the 1984 Orange Bowl against Nebraska, a game that ranks among the sport's greatest upsets.
Miami went in as the underdog on its home field. But when Kenny Calhoun batted down Turner Gill's 2-point conversion pass, the Hurricanes sealed the 31-30 upset and first national championship in school history.
In a postgame interview, Schnellenberger said, "This has been a love affair that's been developing for five years, and tonight was the fulfillment of a dream. I say fulfillment. It might just be the beginning of a dream."
It was, but Schnellenberger was not there to see it firsthand. Schnellenberger left the Hurricanes after that championship season to take a job with a USFL team planned for Miami. At the time, he told The Miami Herald that he left because he felt constrained by Miami's athletic budget and he couldn't pass up the $3 million contract offer.
But the team never materialized, and Schnellenberger ended up sitting out the 1984 football season.
In 2011, Schnellenberger said of leaving Miami, "If you look at it objectively, it was the dumbest thing a human being could do."
But sitting out one year from coaching afforded him an opportunity to go home to Louisville, where he became head coach in 1985. He promised national championships there too, and though he didn't win any, he revitalized a program that was in worse shape than Miami was when he took over. During his 10 years as head coach, Louisville won a Fiesta Bowl and Schnellenberger spearheaded the construction of an on-campus stadium. The current football complex bears his name.
He left in 1995 to become head coach at Oklahoma, another decision he came to regret. After one miserable season going 5-5-1, Schnellenberger resigned under pressure.
Schnellenberger would get one more opportunity to coach, in the state where he made his name. In 1998, a commuter school in Boca Raton, Florida, wanted to start a football program. Schnellenberger was chosen as Florida Atlantic director of football operations and later decided to coach the team. He had a fast-track vision for the Owls: after three years spent on the FCS level, they would become an FBS program.
By now, he had ditched the pipe for health reasons but still wore his trademark sports coat, suspenders and tie on the sideline. During his time as head coach, FAU went to two bowl games, and he got an on-campus stadium built there too. When he retired in 2011, Schnellenberger had compiled an overall record of 158-151-3. The field at the stadium bears his name as well.
