The Miami Hurricanes Top 100 Plus Sports Icons
Sep 11,2015;Boca Raton, FL, USA; University of Miami and Florida Atlantic former head coach Howard Schnellenberger exits the field before his two old teams take on each other Friday night. Miami Hurricane and Buffalo Bills former quarterback Jim Kelly follows at left. Credit:Robert Duyos-USA TODAY Sports
1. Howard Schnellenberger
Before Schnellenberger was hired to Coach at Miami there were talks about doing away with the football program. He led Miami from obscurity to a National Championship in just five years. He is not just a Miami Hurricanes icon, he is a South Florida Icon after he started the program at Florida Atlantic in 2004.
Schnellenberger coined the phrase “the State of Miami” to create a virtual fence around the South Florida counties of Dade, Broward and Palm Beach to Keep the best talent at home. Schnellenberger left UM to become the General Manager and part owner of what was to be a Miami franchise in the then one-year-old USFL. The franchise never materialized and he wound up at Louisville two years after leaving Miami.
Schnellenberger was 41-16 in five seasons with the Hurricanes. That included two Bowl victories, a win in the Peach Bowl following the 1980 season and the 1984 Orange Bowl which vaulted the Hurricanes to the National Championship. Five Hurricanes were named All-American under Schnellenberger.
Schnellenberger’s leadership helped the Hurricanes pass Florida and Florida State as the pre-eminent programs in Florida. Under Bobby Bowden’s leadership, the Seminoles were 39-8 between 1977-80 and appeared in consecutive Orange Bowls following the 1979 and 80 seasons.
FSU would not play in another New Year’s Day Bowl game until after the 1987 season and did not appear in another Orange Bowl until the 1992 season.
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Who will be the next great Miami Hurricanes to crack this list? Mark Richt as the football team headed towards greatness and as an alum should make the list quickly. The baseball and basketball teams are also among the nation’s best. We will likely see more icons and Hurricanes greats as the years continue to progress.