CFB HoF needs to drop its arrogance and consider Howard Schnellenberger

Howard Schnellenberger who led the Miami football program to its first National Championship in 1983 was snubbed again by the College Football Hall of Fame. Their standards are too stringent.

According to the College Football Hall of Fame website, a College Football Head Coach must have held that position for 10 years and coached at least 100 games with a .600 winning percentage. The requirements to be inducted are too stringent and arrogant. Former Miami head coach Howard Schnellenberger belongs in CFB HoF.

In 24 years as a college football head coach, Schnellenberger’s 141-133-3 record and .514 winning percentage belie his true accomplishments. Howard Schnellenberger learned under CFB HoF coach Paul “Bear” Bryant as a player and assistant coach at Kentucky and followed him to Alabama as an assistant.

In the NFL, Schnellenberger was an assistant under Pro Football Hall of Fame coach and the record holder for the most wins in NFL history, Don Shula. Schnellenberger was the offensive coordinator on the Miami Dolphins 1972 undefeated team. In 1979, Schnellenberger left the Dolphins to take the heading coaching job with Miami.

Schnellenberger was the godfather of the Miami football dynasty over a 20 year period. It was Schnellenberger who created the virtual state of Miami. The Hurricanes focused on recruiting Dade, Broward and Palm Beach Counties in building Miami into a national football power that began with the 1983 National Championship.

Miami upset number one Nebraska in the 1984 Orange Bowl as about a 10.5 point underdog. The 1983 Cornhuskers had been proclaimed as the best team in college football history and their coronation was a foregone conclusion by most. The end of Schnellenberger’s run in Coral Gables was the beginning of a dynasty.

Miami won four national titles under Schnellenberger, Jimmy Johnson and Dennis Erickson between 1983-1991. Schnellenberger set the foundation for the Miami Hurricanes dynasty. Schnellenberger took over a Louisville program in 1985 that had not had a winning season since 1978.

In 1988, Louisville went 8-3 and in 1990, the Cardinals finished 10-1-1 that included a Fiesta Bowl victory over his former employer, Alabama. That was Louisville’s first 10 win season. The Cardinals would not reach double figures in victories again until 2001. In 10 seasons at Louisville, Schnellenberger was 54-56-2.

Understanding that he was building the Louisville program from nearly the ground up, the bigger picture on what Schnellenberger accomplished with the Cardinals should be observed and not his sub .500 record. Schnellenberger did the same at Miami.  A nearly canceled program won a National Championship five years later.

Provided by CFB at Sports Reference: View Original Table
Generated 6/16/2020.

Schnellenberger left Louisville for one season at Oklahoma. The Sooners finished 5-5-1 in 1995. After nine years off, Schnellberger resurfaced at Florida Atlantic in 2004 at age 72. He built the Owls program completely from scratch. In eight seasons in Boca Raton, Schnellenberger led the Owls to a 41-56 record.

In 2003, the Owls third season of football, they advanced to the then Division I-AA, now FCS, semifinals. In their third season of 1A or FBS football, FAU became the second quickest program to receive a bowl berth. The Owls won the New Orleans Bowl 44-27 over Memphis. Only Air Force in 1958, their second season was quicker.

Schnellenberger is a proven program builder. He changed the course of college football with how he built the Miami football program. Schnellenberger’s stature and legendary career belong in the College Football Hall of Fame. The College Football Hall of Fame needs to be more objective and less stringent in its requirements.