Sliding Doors, Part II: What if Howard Schnellenberger had stayed?

We got some positive feedback from a previous article called ‘Sliding Doors’ detailing what Hurricane football would be like if Nebraska coach Tom Osborne elected to kick the extra point at the end of the 1984 Orange Bowl.  It’s hard to say just how much different Cane football would be, but make no mistake – it would be different.  That led us to envision another scenario.  A ‘Sliding Doors, Part II’ if you will.  What would have happened if Coach Howard Schnellenberger didn’t leave UM?

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In 1979, Coach Schnellenberger inherited a University of Miami football program that was dying.  A coaching carousel and perennial financial losses sparked discussion of a move to Division II or scrapping the football program altogether.  Enter Howard Schnellenberger.  In his trademark gravelly voice he told everyone he would bring a national championship to Miami within five years.  Remember, at the time Miami had not finished in the AP Poll’s Top 25 in 15 years.  In two of his first three years at UM, they did just that.  In 1983, Schnelenberger’s fifth season as Miami’s head coach, not many could have predicted what would follow Miami’s loss to Florida in the opener.  Ten consecutive wins placed Miami in the Orange Bowl game versus #1 Nebraska.  A series of events, including a loss by #2 Texas earlier in the day, resulted in the Orange Bowl game essentially turning into a national title game.  Nebraska scores with under a minute remaining to trail Miami 31-30 and elects to go for two.  Miami safety Kenny Calhoun‘s outstretched arm tips Turner Gill‘s pass and Miami wins its first ever national title.  The program is elevated to national exposure and is suddenly a hotbed for football talent.  Five years ago, no one wanted to coach or play at Miami.  All of a sudden, the Hurricanes are THE team in college football.

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Still on an emotional high from attaining a national championship, Miami fans were caught off guard by Schnellenberger’s impromptu announcement that summer.  He was leaving the University of Miami to accept the head coaching position of Miami’s new USFL franchise.  Sherwood Weiser, owner of the USFL’s Washington Federals, was moving the reeling franchise to Miami in 1985 and inked Schnellenberger to a $3 million contract to be the team’s head coach and general manager.  Only problem is, the team never materialized.  The USFL’s owners had voted to move to a fall schedule for the 1986 season and Weiser, fearing competition from the NFL, backed out of the deal.  Donald Dizney stepped forward and purchased the franchise and relocated it to Orlando, sans Schnellenberger.

The Hurricanes would go on to take over the college football world.  Jimmy Johnson stepped in and won a title in 1987.  Dennis Erickson won two more in ’89 and ’91.  But, think of what might have been.  Despite their so called dominance, the Hurricanes could have fared even better.  If Schnellenberger stays, do the 1985 Hurricanes lose to Tennessee?  Does the 1986 squad lose to Penn State?  You would have a hard time getting someone to think that they don’t win at least a few more titles in the ’80s and ’90s.  Think about it.  Schnelleberger spurns the lucrative offers of the USFL and solidifies his stranglehold on ’The State of Miami’ in recruiting.  His teams are that much better than Johnson’s and Erickson’s Canes.  Their otherwise dominating performance in the 1987 Fiesta Bowl does not hinge on Vinny Testaverde‘s last throw.  The 1988 Notre Dame game doesn’t come down to a referee’s blown call.  Miami could easily have won 2-3 more titles under Schnellenberger’s tutelage in the 1980s alone.  Art Kehoe, Miami’s long time offensive line coach, has little doubt in his mind: “If he would have stayed here, he would have been the most legendary coach in the history of football. He would have won so many national championships, it would have been staggering.”  FAU defensive coordinator Kirk Hoza echoes Kehoe’s sentiments: “Greatest football coach ever to walk the sideline. He’ll tell you never look back, and he’s probably right. But if he doesn’t leave Miami, what are we looking at? Ten national championships?”

Schnellenberger’s prowess is undeniable.  Having succeeded in resurrecting the Miami program, he took over as the head coach of Louisville in 1985.  The Cardinals had losing seasons 10 of the past 12 years, including six straight losing seasons from 1979 to 1984.  Schnellenberger steps in, and after going 8-24-1 in his first three seasons, goes 24-9-1 in his next three.  In 1991, his Cardinals defeated Alabama in the Fiesta Bowl to end the season ranked 12th in the country, the program’s first ever ranking.  Later, Schnellenberger would tackle the fledgling Florida Atlantic football program.  Named their Director of Football Operations in 1998, Schnellenberger would build the team from the ground up, culminating in their first ever football game in 2001.  In 2007, Schnellenberger led the Owls to a Sun Belt Conference Title and ensuing bowl berth.  The bowl bid in the program’s seventh year (third in Division I-A) set an NCAA record for quickest bowl berth for a program.  Quite simply, the former Bear Bryant disciple has established himself as one of the all time great coaches.  That is why it is so easy to envision multiple additional championship trophies at Miami had he stayed.

In 2007, Schnellenberger’s FAU Owls led the country in turnover margin.  Do the 1986 Hurricanes commit 7 turnovers against Penn State if Schnellenberger is on the sidelines?  While we’re at it, do the 2002 Hurricanes commit 5 turnovers versus Ohio State if a certain pipe smoking, suede jacket wearing coach is roaming the field?  For all the Canes’ dominance – 5 championships since 1980 is unparalleled – it could have been so much more.  Did you know that Coach Schnellenberger has yet to lose a bowl game?  6-0.  The most wins of any coach who has an undefeated bowl record.  Do you really think his teams wouldn’t have stepped up just a bit more under the spotlight?  It’s borderline tortue to think of how many more titles UM could have had if Schnellenberger stayed.  We’ll never know for sure, but most of us already do.