Great coach and legend. 1983 Miami National Championship.

My personal memory was the 1990 San Jose State vs Louisville game, both teams finished ranked (L'ville #3, my Spartans #20), which ended in a 10-10 tie. Two FG attempts at the end of the game were blocked -Louisville offside the first try- by none other than Ted Washington, who would be the 49ers first round draft pick (25th overall). Schnellenberger's white mane was already legendary as he paced the sideline in front of my seat. (I was young back then)

(03-27-2021 11:53 AM)Stugray2 Wrote:  Great coach and legend. 1983 Miami National Championship.

In raising the Hurricanes to power status, he had a huge impact on college football over the past 40 years.

As an aside, when I was a kid, I attended Schnellenberger's last home game as an NFL head coach, the Baltimore Colts vs the Green Bay packers in September, 1974. My dad and brother and I had seats behind the goal posts.

"The Pipe" has passed.
Literally saved the Miami and Louisville football programs and started FAU from scratch.
Truly one of the greatest.

Some coaches are builders and some are title winners, but few do both. Well done Coach Schnellenberger! There aren't enough like him left. While a champion I do believe he liked building even more!

I got to see him in person from afar while he was coaching a game for the FAU Owls vs the Troy Trojans. He did look old, but he didn't act like it.


RIP Howard Schnellenberger

https://www.aseaofblue.com/2021/3/27/223...a-atlantic
His lesser known career before Miami:

"...A native of Saint Meinrad, Indiana, Schnellenberger graduated from Flaget High School in Louisville, Ky., before entering the University of Kentucky in the fall of 1952. He played four years for the Wildcats as an end, two seasons each for Coach Paul “Bear” Bryant and Coach Blanton Collier.


Schnellenberger earned first-team All-America honors from The Associated Press and first-team All-Southeastern Conference honors as a senior, catching 20 passes for 287 yards and six touchdowns.

He also led the team in receiving as a junior with 19 catches for 254 yards and three TDs, and was named third-team All-SEC. His most memorable play as a Wildcat came that season, as his 22-yard TD catch from Bob Hardy gave UK a 14-13 season-ending win at Tennessee.


For his career, Schnellenberger totaled 44 receptions for 618 yards, an average of 14 yards per catch. He had 11 touchdowns, a ratio of one TD for every four receptions. On defense, he recorded three pass interceptions. He was part of four consecutive winning teams and a total record of 25-12-4 as a Wildcat. Following his senior season, he played in the Blue-Grey All-Star Game and the Senior Bowl.

Schnellenberger began his coaching career at UK under Collier in 1959 and 1960, guiding the Wildcat wide receivers and tight ends. He rejoined Bryant as offensive coordinator at the University of Alabama from 1961-65, helping the Crimson Tide win national championships in ’61, ’64 and ’65.

Schnellenberger moved to the National Football League in 1966, beginning with four years with the Los Angeles Rams. He was offensive coordinator for the Miami Dolphins from 1970-72, including the 17-0 Super Bowl champion campaign of ’72, the last undefeated team in NFL history. He was head coach of the Baltimore Colts in 1973-74 and returned to the Dolphins as an assistant from 1975-78...."

(03-27-2021 07:56 PM)bullet Wrote:  https://www.aseaofblue.com/2021/3/27/223...a-atlantic
His lesser known career before Miami:

"...A native of Saint Meinrad, Indiana, Schnellenberger graduated from Flaget High School in Louisville, Ky., before entering the University of Kentucky in the fall of 1952. He played four years for the Wildcats as an end, two seasons each for Coach Paul “Bear” Bryant and Coach Blanton Collier.


Schnellenberger earned first-team All-America honors from The Associated Press and first-team All-Southeastern Conference honors as a senior, catching 20 passes for 287 yards and six touchdowns.

He also led the team in receiving as a junior with 19 catches for 254 yards and three TDs, and was named third-team All-SEC. His most memorable play as a Wildcat came that season, as his 22-yard TD catch from Bob Hardy gave UK a 14-13 season-ending win at Tennessee.


For his career, Schnellenberger totaled 44 receptions for 618 yards, an average of 14 yards per catch. He had 11 touchdowns, a ratio of one TD for every four receptions. On defense, he recorded three pass interceptions. He was part of four consecutive winning teams and a total record of 25-12-4 as a Wildcat. Following his senior season, he played in the Blue-Grey All-Star Game and the Senior Bowl.

Schnellenberger began his coaching career at UK under Collier in 1959 and 1960, guiding the Wildcat wide receivers and tight ends. He rejoined Bryant as offensive coordinator at the University of Alabama from 1961-65, helping the Crimson Tide win national championships in ’61, ’64 and ’65.

Schnellenberger moved to the National Football League in 1966, beginning with four years with the Los Angeles Rams. He was offensive coordinator for the Miami Dolphins from 1970-72, including the 17-0 Super Bowl champion campaign of ’72, the last undefeated team in NFL history. He was head coach of the Baltimore Colts in 1973-74 and returned to the Dolphins as an assistant from 1975-78...."

What a history!

This is a guy who played for and coached under Bear Bryant, winning three national titles with him.

As an assistant, coached in NFL games against George Halas and Vince Lombardi.

Coached under Don Shula for the perfect 1972 Dolphins.

Led Miami to national title and national power status.

His coaching career began the same year Lombardi became coach of the Packers, and he coached his last game three years in to the Obama administration.

Just amazing. What a life in football.

Howard Schnellenberger ... a legend. Very underrated. One of college football's most unusual and successful coaches. And a very likable man.

I actually got to interview Howard (when I worked part-time at Athlon) when he was coaching at Louisville in the summer of 1994. He was very gracious and patient with me.

A good man.

RIP, HS.

People here still complain to this day about the 1983 championship and how Schnellenberger felt the need to show up Tom Osborne by landing for his press conference in a helicopter. It's exactly the sort of thing you would expect from Miami, though, and he was the one that brought that personality to the Canes. Would there be a turnover chain without him landing in that helicopter in 1983? Nothing but respect for someone that can leave his mark on the game like he did. Rest in peace, Coach.

Schnellenberger was a high school teammate of Paul Hornung ... they were one year apart at Flaget High School (which closed in 1974). Both of these guys went on to become titans in the world of football. Hornung passed away 4 and a half months ago.