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2009 Sep 03
FAU WEEK: Howard's Mind Games
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When Florida Atlantic agreed to play Nebraska a few years ago, FAU coach Howard Schnellenberger did it almost on a hunch.
He’d built the program from dust in 2001 to a team, by 2005, ready to make the full-time leap to Division I-A. When it did, Schnellenberger peppered the non-conference schedule with road trip after road trip to major conference programs. FAU had little chance at victory, and, indeed, the coach called them “advanced training” games. In 2006, the Owls lost four straight to Clemson, Kansas State, Oklahoma State and South Carolina by a combined score of 192-21.
But last year, Schnellenberger stopped referring to those road games as any kind of training. The next step in his plan was start winning them.
“He thought we could actually hang with those teams,” quarterback Rusty Smith said.
And so it was with NU. FAU only took a $650,000 payout to play in Lincoln. Small, in terms of the general going rate. Maybe that was shrewd negotiating on the part of then-athletic director Steve Pederson.
Or maybe it was something else.
“My hope was that when we scheduled the game there was a little niche in the Nebraska situation,” Schnellenberger. “I hoped maybe to slip in there. Obviously, that niche has been closed and they’re upgrading to their highest level once again.”
That could be Howard being Howard. In fact, we’re sure of it. But never underestimate the cunning of a guy who rescued two programs – Miami and Louisville – already and, at 75-years old, is trying to build this one entirely in his image. He saw the chance to upset a Bill Callahan Husker team. But Ball State pulled down the wizard’s curtain first.
So the coach who wrecked Nebraska’s national championship dreams in 1983 has spent the better part of a week suggesting Bo Pelini’s 2009 team could be as good as the “Scoring Explosion” bunch. He calls even heading to NU and Memorial Stadium a “monumental struggle” that leaves the Owls merely “holding out hope” they can compete with the Huskers.
“But our players are looking forward to that struggle,” Schnellenberger said.
He’d built the program from dust in 2001 to a team, by 2005, ready to make the full-time leap to Division I-A. When it did, Schnellenberger peppered the non-conference schedule with road trip after road trip to major conference programs. FAU had little chance at victory, and, indeed, the coach called them “advanced training” games. In 2006, the Owls lost four straight to Clemson, Kansas State, Oklahoma State and South Carolina by a combined score of 192-21.
But last year, Schnellenberger stopped referring to those road games as any kind of training. The next step in his plan was start winning them.
“He thought we could actually hang with those teams,” quarterback Rusty Smith said.
And so it was with NU. FAU only took a $650,000 payout to play in Lincoln. Small, in terms of the general going rate. Maybe that was shrewd negotiating on the part of then-athletic director Steve Pederson.
Or maybe it was something else.
“My hope was that when we scheduled the game there was a little niche in the Nebraska situation,” Schnellenberger. “I hoped maybe to slip in there. Obviously, that niche has been closed and they’re upgrading to their highest level once again.”
That could be Howard being Howard. In fact, we’re sure of it. But never underestimate the cunning of a guy who rescued two programs – Miami and Louisville – already and, at 75-years old, is trying to build this one entirely in his image. He saw the chance to upset a Bill Callahan Husker team. But Ball State pulled down the wizard’s curtain first.
So the coach who wrecked Nebraska’s national championship dreams in 1983 has spent the better part of a week suggesting Bo Pelini’s 2009 team could be as good as the “Scoring Explosion” bunch. He calls even heading to NU and Memorial Stadium a “monumental struggle” that leaves the Owls merely “holding out hope” they can compete with the Huskers.
“But our players are looking forward to that struggle,” Schnellenberger said.
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