OT: Howard Schnellenberger, builder of "the U" has passed
Took a small private school that had nearly cancelled football to a national championship in five years and went on a tear for years after that. RIP Coach
March 27th, 2021 at 11:11 AM ^
At least Nebraska had the courage to go for 2. I always admired that.
March 27th, 2021 at 11:27 AM ^
I'll miss that mustache. RIP Coach.
March 27th, 2021 at 11:31 AM ^
Michigan football also lost one of its own a couple of days ago, according to Dr. Sap—Roosevelt Smith has passed. He was a RB/FB from 1976-1979.
https://twitter.com/DrSap4UM/status/1375802694783401984?s=20
Here's one of the biggest plays in Smith's career, a 44-yd TD pass from Leach in the infamous Phantom Touchdown Rose Bowl against USC:
March 27th, 2021 at 11:49 AM ^
Gulp - I graduated in '77. Mortality, here I come.
March 27th, 2021 at 11:50 AM ^
About the same time frame for me.
It's coming for us all.
March 27th, 2021 at 11:52 AM ^
Thanks for pointing this out, Don. I remember Roosevelt as a team glue guy, always stuck behind more talented guys in the backfield, but carving a niche out for himself by blocking for Leach on the option. RIP Mr. Smith.
March 27th, 2021 at 12:57 PM ^
Perfect description of Roosevelt Smith, Crampy.
Smith was always dependable and sometimes much more. Those of us who were fortunate enough to watch him play in the 70s might remember him as one of the heroes of our 1978 victory over the evil empire:
As I recall, both our starting RBs, Harlan Huckleby and Russell Davis, were out for that game, placing the load on Rosie Smith, Larry Reid, and freshman Butch Woolfolk. We came away with a 14-3 win at the snakepit in PooperTown.
Smith led the way on the ground and caught a key 3rd quarter MEEEEECHIGAN TD.
Oh...and it was our 3rd straight and final win over Woody. A month or so later, Hayes "punched out" vs Clemson.
March 27th, 2021 at 11:56 AM ^
Howard created the 'U' culture as he recruited the best players in Florida which otherwise wouldn't have had a sniff of what was a small, high-academics school in Coral Gables. Let's just say he used every tool at his disposal.
March 27th, 2021 at 12:13 PM ^
Understatement.
March 27th, 2021 at 12:43 PM ^
Good. Crown his ass.
If he had stayed at Miami (instead of leaving for the USFL), Schnellenberger would've likely built a dynasty like the one Saban now has at Alabama.
The U played for a National Championship in 83, 85, 87, 89, 91, 92, 94 in a 12 year span. (And I left out 88 which is controversial not just for how Miami "lost" at Notre Dame but also because of how Miami "won" at Michigan.)
Michigan needs its own version of Howard Schnellenberger and Jimmy Johnson.
March 27th, 2021 at 12:04 PM ^
The 1984 Orange Bowl is the most important college football game in the past 75 years and still imminently watchable.
Every coach at the U this century has tried to capture that glory--pretty sure it won't happen again.
March 27th, 2021 at 12:11 PM ^
And look what he started at FAU.
March 27th, 2021 at 12:33 PM ^
True american hero for landing that plane on the Hudson. And then he notifies the library that he won't be able to turn in his book. Now that is character.
+1
I chuckled.
Schnellenberger built Miami, Louisville and FAU from ground level zero. No other coach in the history of ncaa football has a similar record of achievement in that aspect.
One of the local sports radio hosts here in Oklahoma tells of his first interview of Schnellenberger when he pointed to the multiple national championships at OU and commented that they were all achieved through cheating. He wasn't wrong, but the radio host didn't want to hear it.
Full disclaimer, I don't have vivid memories of that season. But the year Schnellenberger won the National Championship, they got curb stomped by Florida and eeked out wins against Florida State and Nebraska. The Bo Jackson lead Auburn team, who beat Michigan in the Bowl Game that season, was probably the country's best team. A strong argument could be made for Texas as well that year. A playoff would have certainly been entertaining with Nebraska, Auburn, Texas, and Miami.
My memory is fading but I believe Auburn got pounded by Texas in the season opener and that put them behind in the polls. I think the SEC was 8-0 in bowl games that year so I thought Auburn should have snuck out the championship vote.
I agree that that would have been a solid playoff.
I have more vivid memories of that season. Nebraska was being touted as the greatest team of all time, it was mentioned in the Orange Bowl telecast. They destroyed reigning national champion Penn State in the opener by 40 and then proceeded to embarrass teams all year long. They set Minnesota's program back a generation--scored 80+ on them. I think they had 3 games over 70+ and 5 over 60+--and remember they weren't running the no-huddle back then.
Auburn eked out wins most of the year, FWIW.
If there was a 4-team playoff in 1983, however, Miami might not have qualified! They were ranked #5 in the last AP poll of the regular season.
But it all came together perfectly for Miami on New Year's.
They beat #1 Nebraska.
#2 Texas lost by a point to Georgia.
#3 Auburn won, but without scoring a touchdown, against the 2nd place team in the Big Ten.
The Big Ten champion was ranked #4, but they lost by 5 touchdowns in the Rose Bowl. That result helped to de-value Auburn's win.
I enjoyed following the exploits of Coach Schnellenberger. My favorite quote from him is a disaster however, "Louisville is on a collision course with the national championship." From SI, I think.
March 27th, 2021 at 10:08 PM ^
Legend- RIP coach and your name has been stamped into memory now