Louisville, Miami to Compete for Schnellenberger Trophy
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Say hello to college football's newest rivalry trophy.
Starting this upcoming season, the Louisville and Miami football programs will compete for the Schnellenberger Trophy, the Louisville Sports Commission announced Monday. The trophy is named after former Cardinals and Canes head coach Howard Schnellenberger, and are the actual western dress boots worn by Schnellenberger, which have now been bronzed.
"Coach Schnellenberger was known for wearing dress cowboy boots to complement his coat and tie on the sidelines during his coaching tenure at both schools,” Louisville Sports Commission president and CEO Greg Fante said in a statement. “We are grateful to Coach’s wife, Beverlee, who graciously donated a pair of those boots entrusting us with this valuable memento.”
The Schnellenberger Trophy
Louisville Sports Commission
Last summer, Louisville and Miami were designated as permanent yearly opponents as part of their shift to a division-less scheduling model. The Cardinals will face the Canes on Saturday, Nov. 18 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla. for the penultimate game of the 2023 regular season.
“We appreciate the Louisville Sports Commission’s commitment to honor Howard Schnellenberger’s legacy with this trophy,” Louisville athletic director Josh Heird said in a statement. “Howard Schnellenberger is an iconic name in college football, but more importantly, he’s symbolic of the success and tradition that the University of Louisville and University of Miami football programs have enjoyed on the field.
"To celebrate the budding rivalry between the two programs with a trophy that bears his name is a fitting way to pay tribute to the contributions he made to both universities. With this game having an impact on the conference standings, this trophy will add to the intensity and importance of each game in the series.”
Schnellenberger inherited a Louisville program that had gone just 24-41-1 over the previous six years, and took them to unprecedented heights. From 1985 to 1994, he went 54-56-2 as the head coach of the Cardinals, including a 10-1-1 campaign in 1990. That season was capped off with a 34-7 win over Alabama in the Fiesta Bowl, and their first appearance in the final Associated Press Top 25 poll at No. 14.
Before his tenure in Louisville, he spent five years at Miami from 1979 to 1983, also lifting the Hurricanes to new heights. He went 41-16 during his time in South Beach, which included The U's first ever national championship in 1983, upsetting top-ranked Nebraska, 31-30, in the Orange Bowl.
"Miami is excited to partner with our colleagues at Louisville to present The Schnellenberger Trophy on an annual basis,” Miami athletic director Dan Radakovich said in a statement. “Coach Schnellenberger made an incredible impact at both institutions, and this trophy will serve as a visual reminder of the legacy he created for the sport he loved.”
Schnellenberger had a one year stint in Oklahoma in 1995, then helped build the Florida Atlantic program from the ground up, coaching them from 2004 to 2011. In 277 career games as a head coach, he carries a 141-133-3 overall record. He passed away at age 87 on March 27, 2021.
(Photo of Howard Schnellenberger: Allen Eyestone via Imagn Content Services, LLC
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