FAU Football News Roundup: Schnellenberger Honored, New Name for Head Coach, and a Scholarship is Awarded

As the FAU football team is set to take the field this Saturday against the Florida Gators, there has been other news not regarding the gridiron that took place the past couple of days. 

Here is the news roundup:

FAU Legend Howard Schnellenberger to be honored by the school this season

FAU will honor the late Howard Schnellenberger, the first coach, and builder of the football program, with patches on the uniform and decals on the back of the helmets. 

The patches on the left shoulder of the uniforms are shaped like a football and will have Schnellenberger’s name on them along with the years he lived in (1934-2021). It’ll also include the motto that “he lived by,” saying “To believe is to be strong.”

The decals will be in the back center of the helmet that has a drawing of the legendary coach with the same saying and a signature from him. 

Besides the patch and decal, FAU will honor Schnellenberger’s legacy by having a “Celebration of Life” event on Sept. 10. Former players of the coach are invited to a reception at 6 p.m. and after, the general public are able to come to celebrate in FAU Stadium. According to the press release, “The evening will begin with a collection of photos, throughout his career, as well as videos submitted by former players scattered across the country.”

Then at 7:30, there will be selected speakers to speak on Schnellenberger and how he impacted their lives. The day after on Sept. 11, he will be honored once again as the Owls take on Georgia Southern in their home opener. 

This gesture was to be expected as Schnellenberger was vital in making the football program what it is today by building it from the ground up. Besides being instrumental in creating the FAU football program, he brought the University of Miami back to relevance in the 1980s, bringing them their first national title in 1983. He also was the offensive coordinator (OC) for the Alabama Crimson Tide in the early 1960s, showing off four national championships.

His career wasn’t exclusively in college, as his time in the NFL is also one to remember. Besides being a part of the Los Angeles Rams organization, he was the OC for the Miami Dolphins when they had their perfect season in 1972. It’s safe to say that Schnellenberger is a legend in the football landscape.

FAU Football receives $2.5 million to name the head coaching job in perpetuity and more

FAU announced Friday, on Willie Taggart’s 45th birthday, that the athletics program has received a $2.5 million gift from Michelle and Michael Hagerty “to name the FAU head football coaching position in perpetuity.”

What does this mean?

Basically, Taggart is not just the head coach for the Owls, the full title is “Hagerty Family Head Football Coach Willie Taggart.”

While it may seem odd, this isn’t a new thing as teams like Notre Dame, Northwestern, Stanford, Michigan, Penn State, Harvard, Yale, Penn, Rice, and Army have done the same thing. 

The gift from the Hagerty family will go into supporting the football program and also the Chasing Greatness Program, which according to the press release, it’ll provide a “holistic curriculum that encourages student-athletes to further enhance themselves academically, athletically, and personally.”

“We are honored and excited to be a part of the FAU community,” Michelle and Michael Hagerty said in a statement. “Coach Willie Taggart, as a committed leader of young adults, inspired us to support the FAU football program. We are grateful for the opportunity to team up with and elevate this amazing group of student-athletes. Best wishes to the FAU football team. Go Owls!”

For Taggart and his new position title, he’s honored to share this moment with the program and the players.

“We can’t thank Michelle and Michael Hagerty enough for their generous support of the football program, I’m honored to hold the title of Hagerty Family Head Football Coach,” Taggart said. “We are also very grateful for their belief in the vision of the Chasing Greatness Program. We’re committed to making sure every one of our student-athletes has the best possible experience during their time at FAU, and this program is vitally important to our efforts off the field.”

Both FAU President John Kelly and Athletic Director Brian White expressed their gratitude to the Hagerty family as they also provided statements:

“FAU is building a national reputation for academic and athletic excellence, thanks to generous donors like Michelle and Michael Hagerty,” Kelly said. “Their gift will help our hard-working football players continue to thrive, both in the classroom and in competition. Thank you, Michelle and Michael Hagerty!”

“We are incredibly grateful for Michelle and Michael Hagerty’s generosity and passion for student-athletes. Their commitment to bettering the lives of our current and future student-athletes is truly an inspiration,” White said. “We are very proud to name our Head Football Coaching position for their family. This is a transformational gift for our football program, athletic department, and university.”

Celebration arises as FAU long snapper Nick Marino receives scholarship

Nick Marino, redshirt freshman long snapper, has received a scholarship. 

Coach Taggart wanted other players to yell at the kicker during his practice-ending field goal attempt. When Marino received the ball that he snapped with, the ball had a paper attached to it that read: “Congratulations you are now on scholarship.”

Taggart proceeded to give a speech about earning and working hard in relation to Marino, saying that “when wishing won’t, work will.” He said that Marino “worked his butt off and earned it.”

When wishing won’t, work will. @nick_marino77 👏 https://t.co/jpet851V7a pic.twitter.com/1akmLDdcuO

— Florida Atlantic Football (@FAUFootball) August 26, 2021

Photos courtesy of FAU Athletics.