Miami and Louisville will play for the Schnellenberger Trophy moving forward, Louisville announced Monday.
The trophy, a pair of copper-looking cowboy boots, honors the late Howard Schnellenberger, a pivotal figure in both programs' respective histories.
Schnellenberger took over a struggling Miami program in 1979 and, by his departure in 1983, had the Hurricanes on the path to becoming a dynasty. He and his staff successfully kept South Florida talent home, which allowed Miami to go 41-16 in his five seasons. After a 5-6 debut, the 'Canes went 9-3 with a Peach Bowl victory and a No. 18 final ranking in 1980, 9-2 with a No. 8 AP finish in 1981, and to win the school's first national championship in 1983.
Miami would finish in the AP top-10 nine times in the next 11 seasons, with national titles in 1987, 1989 and 1991.
Schnellenberger kicked off a string of five consecutive Miami coaches finishing No. 1 or No. 2 at least once in the AP poll.
Schnellenberger resigned after the 1983 season to take a coaching and executive position with a USFL team, but changes outside his control led him to walk away from the position.
He landed at Louisville in time for the 1984 season, where he took over a program that played in a minor league baseball stadium who'd enjoyed two winning seasons in their last 12 tries.
By 1990, Schnellenberger had the Cardinals 10-1-1, victors in the Fiesta Bowl, and ranked No. 14 in the AP poll. The No. 14 finish was just the second in program history and stood as the highest until a No. 6 ranking in 2004.
Both schools owe their ACC memberships to the foundation Schnellenberger laid, and moving forward each Cardinals-Canes game will honor his memory. The sides' Nov. 18 meeting in Coral Gables will be their first meeting since Schnellenberger's 2021 death.
The Schnellenberger Trophy
— Louisville Football (@LouisvilleFB) July 24, 2023
It's official! We are set to play Miami annually for the trophy, which features the boots worn by Coach Howard Schnellenberger. #GoCards pic.twitter.com/CPWEExUjKM
Schnellenberger coached a Louisville-Miami game six times, four times as Miami's coach and twice as Louisville's. Miami won all six meetings, and the 'Canes lead the all-time series 11-3-1.
As always, stay tuned to The Scoop for the latest.