LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) – Howard Schnellenbeger, the larger-than-life college football coach who was the father of modern University of Louisville football, has passed away at the age of 87, Florida Atlantic University announced Saturday morning.
A cause of death has not been disclosed, but his health had been declining. He was hospitalized last summer after suffering a subdural hematoma from a fall.
Schnellenberger was born in Saint Meinrand, Indiana, and grew up in Louisville. He was a muliti-sport star at Flaget High School before going to the University of Kentucky, where he played both basketball and baseball but starred in football as an All-American for Bear Bryant.
He later served as an assistant coach to Blanton Collier at UK before joining Bryant’s staff at Alabama. His career resume is a who's who of football. He recruited Joe Namath to Alabama. He was an assistant to Don Shula for the Miami Dolphins' undefeated 1972 championship season.
And with his gravelly voice and trademark pipe, Schnellenberger became perhaps the greatest builder of college football programs in the game's history.
He also was a devoted husband to his wife, Beverlee, who said in a statement this morning, "Howard always treated me special, like a queen, and was truly a husband that every Canadian girl dreams of. You will always be my love, now and forever. I’m proud to be your wife. You were a great leader of men and the leader of our lives."
Schnellenberger took over the Miami football program and built it into a national champion from scratch. He turned The U into Quarterback U, with names like Jim Kelly, Bernie Kosar and Vinny Testaverde.
He had left that position when then-Louisville athletic director Bill Olsen made a bold move to save football at the school, luring Schnellenberger back to his hometown to lead a program that had fallen upon hard times and was in danger of being scrapped.
He arrived in 1985 with an immortal statement in these parts, saying that the program, "Is on a collision course with a national championship. The only variable is time."
Before Schnellenrger had left Louisville, his team was beating Alabama in the Fiesta Bowl in the 1991 Fiesta Bowl.
"The University of Louisville lost a legend and a valuable piece of our legacy," Louisville athletic director Vince Tyra said this morning. "Coach Howard Schnellenberger fostered hope and success in our football program. It’s an honor to have known him and have his support. Our best to Beverlee and their extended family."
Kenny Klein, the longtime sports information director at Louisville, was in his early years at the school when Schnellenberger was coach.
"So sad to hear of the passing of Coach Schnellenberger," Klein said. "With his pipe in hand, he inspired us to dream bigger and was the driving force for our beautiful stadium that we enjoy today."
For Schnellenberger, no dream was big enough. He wanted Louisville to remain independent in football, to play big-name programs every year. He fought for, and got, a series with the University of Kentucky. And he championed fundraising and construction for a new stadium. He wound up leaving Louisville with the school decided to join Conference USA, and he got an offer to coach Oklahoma.
Later in his career, Schnellenberger launched the football program at Florida Atlantic.
The football facility attached to Cardinal Stadium bears his name.
More to come throughout the day on WDRB and WDRB.com.
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