Louisville, Miami football unveil rivalry trophy honoring Howard Schnellenberger

Legendary college football coach Howard Schnellenberger had successful stints at both Miami and Louisville during his coaching career. It’s only fitting that those two schools will now play for a trophy named in his honor.

The Louisville Sports Commission announced on Monday that Louisville and Miami will compete annually for the newly-created Schnellenberger trophy, beginning this fall.

The trophy is made out of western dress boots that were worn by Howard Schnellenberger as he coached Miami and then Louisville. The boots have been bronzed and turned into a trophy.

The Schnellenberger Trophy

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

— Louisville Football (@LouisvilleFB) July 24, 2023

Howard Schnellenberger coached at Miami from 1979-83, leading the Hurricanes to a national title in his final season in south Florida. He was named the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award winner for that season.

Miami Athletics Director Dan Radakovcih released a statement about the trophy on Monday.

“Miami is excited to partner with our colleagues at Louisville to present The Schnellenberger Trophy on an annual basis,” Radakovich said. “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 coached at Louisville from 1985-94. After getting off to a slow start, he eventually led the Cardinals to five winning seasons, including a 10-1-1 mark in 1990.

Louisville AD Josh Heird also released a statement sharing his thoughts on the trophy being awarded annually to the winner of the Louisville-Miami game.

“We appreciate the Louisville Sports Commission’s commitment to honor Howard Schnellenberger’s legacy with this trophy,” Heird said. “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.”

Louisville and Miami will meet annually in the ACC’s new scheduling model, which features a 3-5-5 format, with each team having three permanent rivals.

Louisville’s three permanent rivals are Georgia Tech, Miami and Virginia, while the Hurricanes will face Boston College, Florida State and Louisville each year. The 2023 season marks the first year of the new scheduling model.