Schnellenberger to announce retirement

[Jim Morris]

Howard Schnellenberger, former University of Alabama assistant and current head coach at Florida Atlantic will announce his retirement as head coach later today. Schnellenberger,77, and FAU has announced a 4 p.m. eastern press conference to discuss "future of FAU football." Under his supervision the Owls fielded their first team in 1998 at the Division 1-AA level before moving up to Division 1.

Schnellenberger's long and illustrious coaching career includes head coach stints at Miami, Louisville and Oklahoma. In 1983, he led Miami to the National Championship. He played at Kentucky under Coach Bryant and later became an assistant coach at UK. Bryant hired him in 1961 as Offensive Coordinator, a position he held before joining the Los Angeles Rams in 1966. He spent the next 11 seasons in the NFL before leaving the Dolphins for the head coach position at Miami.

With Schnellenberger's departure those of us who appreciate his "Bear" like growl and demeanor will miss the occasional soundbites from a guy who spoke like his greatest mentor.

 

[marcusroby]

A true program builder

 

[FloridanBlogger]

Wow! I didn't realize he was still coaching!

 

[jabcmb]

I admired him for his ability to take mediocre or non traditional programs instill confidence in players and fanbase. He brought Miami up, although I don't think he was totally responsible for what they became.

 

[conturbo]

I think Coach Schnellenberger was helped a lot by circumstances. There is a reason Miami & FSU came to prominence at the same time. But his work at Louisville was much more impressive.

 

[Vinny]

I admired him for his ability to take mediocre or non traditional programs instill confidence in players and fanbase. He brought Miami up, although I don't think he was totally responsible for what they became.

I think if he would have stayed at the U, they would have been a classy U, not the bunch of clowns they became with JJ and Erikson. That would have been a classic match up if he would have been at the U in the 93 Sugar Bowl, CGS on our side of the field and Coach Schnellenberger on the Miami sideline. Though if memory is still good, his Louisville team beat us pretty bad in the Fiesta Bowl in 1991.

 

[kyallie]

He did a lot for the U, he literally put U of L on the map, and laid the foundation at FAU...he's a class act.

 

[trenda]

He's the coach who drove Joe Willie down here from PA, wasn't he?

 

[Jim Morris]

He's the coach who drove Joe Willie down here from PA, wasn't he?

That would be correct.

 

[kyallie]

Howard Schnellenberger and The Alabama Crimson Tide

 

[EscaTider]

There was a time (post Gene Stallings) that I wished he would have been the head coach at UA. Likely would have avoided a lot of the headaches and heartaches, but we would not have CNS right now either.

Overall, a classy if somewhat arrogant man, and a fine football coach.