BOCA RATON, Fla. — Howard Schnellenberger, who died Saturday at the age of 87, was a South Florida football legend.
Here are five moments for which the longtime coach will best be remembered.
Hurricanes win first national championship
Schnellenberger saved the best for last during his five seasons at Miami, leading the Hurricanes to their first national championship in school history after a 31-30 victory over the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the 1984 Orange Bowl.
Schnellenberger brings football to FAU
Schnellenberger was hired as director of football operations at Florida Atlantic University on May 1, 1998. He would later become the first head football coach in school history.
From playoffs to back-to-back bowl wins
Schnellenberger had the Owls in the Division I-AA playoffs by his third season. By his seventh season, the Owls were playing in their first bowl game. FAU won back-to-back bowl games under Schnellenberger to conclude the 2007 and 2008 seasons.
Owls get permanent burrow
After lobbying for a football stadium for years, Schnellenberger's vision finally became a reality. FAU Stadium opened on Oct. 15, 2011. Although the Schnellenberger-led Owls lost to Western Kentucky 20-0, it was a significant milestone for a program that had spent its infancy playing at Pro Player Stadium (today known as Hard Rock Stadium) near Miami and Lockhart Stadium in Fort Lauderdale. The playing field at FAU Stadium was named for Schnellenberger in 2014.
Hurricanes meet Owls on gridiron
Schnellenberger's former programs met for the first time on Aug. 30, 2013. Schnellenberger and dozens of members of the 1983 Miami national championship team were at the game as part of the 30th anniversary celebration of the Hurricanes' first title. The Hurricanes won 34-6.
