From CBSsports.com…..
Legendary coach Howard Schnellenberger, who led Miami (FL) to its first national championship, resurrected Louisville’s program and built Florida Atlantic’s football team from scratch, died Saturday at 87. Schnellenberger, who also coached one season at Oklahoma, served as a head coach in college football for 27 years and had a career record of 158-151-3.
Schnellenberger was the foundation of the resurgence of the Miami football program that was considering dropping to I-AA when he arrived in 1979 but turned into one of the top programs in the sport. The Hurricanes went 6-5 in his first year before posting nine-win seasons in each of the next two seasons. A 7-4 record in 1982 was followed by an 11-1 season and the national championship in 1983. That season ended with a thrilling 31-30 win over top-ranked Nebraska in the Orange Bowl.
He resigned after that season and took over as the president, general manager and coach of The Spirit of Miami in the USFL. The team moved to Orlando prior to the start of the season and Schnellenberger opted to return to the college game. He posted a 54-56-2 record at Louisville from 1985-94 including a 10-1-1 season and Fiesta Bowl win in 1990. He stepped away from football after leading Oklahoma to a 5-5-1 record in 1995 — his only season with the Sooners.
