Howard Schnellenberger

Howard Leslie Schnellenberger was born in Saint Meinrad, Indiana, to German American parents in 1934. Raised in Louisville, Kentucky, Schnellenberger excelled in football and basketball at Flaget High School. He pursued his gridiron dreams at the University of Kentucky under Paul “Bear” Bryant and Blanton Collier, where he was an All-American in 1955. After college, he had a brief playing career with the CFL’s Toronto Argonauts before moving into coaching.

He began his coaching career in 1959, beginning as an assistant for his alma mater under Coach Collier. He quickly developed a reputation as a relentless recruiter and a detailed position coach, traits that would become his trademarks throughout his career.

In 1961, Schnellenberger accepted an offer to join Coach Bryant’s staff at the University of Alabama. As the Crimson Tide’s offensive ends coach and top recruiter, he played a crucial role in assembling the talent that fueled Alabama’s dominance during the 1960s. Schnellenberger was particularly influential in recruiting future Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Namath out of Pennsylvania.

During his tenure in Tuscaloosa (1961–1965), Alabama won three national championships (1961, 1964, 1965) and consistently ranked among the nation’s elite. Schnellenberger’s ability to connect with players and sell the vision of Bryant’s program helped the Tide build one of the deepest rosters in college football history.

In 1966, Schnellenberger left the Crimson Tide to begin his NFL coaching career with the Los Angeles Rams. Serving as a receivers coach under head coach George Allen, he helped talents like Jack Snow become Pro Bowl players.

In 1970, he joined Don Shula’s staff with the Miami Dolphins as offensive coordinator and receivers’ coach. Schnellenberger played a critical role in developing Miami’s passing game, mentoring quarterback Bob Griese and wide receiver Paul Warfield. His offensive strategies were instrumental in the Dolphins’ historic 1972 season, when the team went 17-0, becoming the only team in NFL history to complete a perfect season capped by a Super Bowl victory. Miami went on to win back-to-back Super Bowls (VII and VIII) with Schnellenberger on the staff.

In 1973 he became head coach of the Baltimore Colts. Schnellenberger’s short tenure with the Colts ended after his first game in his second season. He returned to the Miami Dolphins as offensive coordinator the next season and remained on the Fins’ staff until being named head coach at the University of Miami.

Knowing that the State of Florida was filled with great high school football talent, he boldly predicted a national title within five years, a promise he fulfilled in 1983, when the Hurricanes shocked Nebraska in the Orange Bowl to win their first championship.

In 1985, he returned to Kentucky and took on another rebuilding project at the University of Louisville. Over ten seasons, he turned the Cardinals into a respected program, highlighted by a 1991 Fiesta Bowl victory over Alabama.

He left Louisville to take the head coaching job at the University of Oklahoma but left unexpectedly after only one season.

Never afraid of a challenge, Schnellenberger became the founding head coach of Florida Atlantic University’s football program in 1998. He built the Owls from scratch, guiding them into FBS football and leading them to their first two bowl victories before retiring in 2011. In honor of his contributions to FAU, the football field there is named in his honor. He retired from coaching in 2011.

Howard Schnellenberger’s career was defined by vision, resilience, and a belief in himself. He influenced countless players and coaches, left behind three thriving college programs, won two Super Bowls, and was forever part of the lore of the NFL’s only perfect season with the Miami Dolphins in 1972.

He passed away on March 27, 2021, at the age of 87.

Images licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Headshot from the Florida Sports Hall of Fame.
Biography by Chris Aldridge