FAU coach Howard Schnellenberger has a massive brain fart

A. Isaac Senior Editor

howard schnellenberger 216x214 FAU coach Howard Schnellenberger has a massive brain fart

For many of you, the Florida Atlantic-MSU game at Ford Field was not must-see TV this past weekend. Apparently, FAU coach Howard Schnellenberger felt the same way. Whether he was in a rush to get out of Detroit or just frankly wasn’t aware of the situation is still under debate.

What we do know is this–it will likely go down as one of the dumbest and most bizarre decisions in college football history.

Here’s the scenario:

MSU leads FAU 30-14 with 2:50 remaining. The Owls are at the MSU six yard line facing a fourth down. A timeout is called in preparation for what many believe is some kind of offensive play. Inexplicably though, the FAU kicker trots out on the field and drills one through the upright making the score 30-17. The MSU sideline looks puzzled as do many of the Owls’ players. The ESPNU announcers are so baffled they are at a loss for words.

To make matters worse, the Owls then kicked away to MSU essentially conceding the contest. The Spartans run a few plays and the game is over.

So let’s do the math here for Mr. Schnellenberger since he might need some help. When you are trailing by 16 points, it is still a two possession game. A touchdown and a 2-point conversion followed by a successful onside kick again gives you a chance to send the game to overtime.

A field goal gives you NOTHING. It is still a two possession game at that point.

So was good ‘ol Howard Schnellenberger waiving the white flag? Tough to tell. He did, however, apologize to the entire team on Sunday.

I met with my staff and with my team today and talked to them about the last five minutes of the game,” Schnellenberger said after Sunday’s practice. “I apologized to them for not giving them the opportunity to win the game which is the responsibility as the head coach. I think it was important that I had to do that. It was needed because I was wrong in what I did.

At that juncture I thought it would be better to end up with three points than going through the exercise of getting an onside kick and scoring two touchdowns

It should be noted that Schnellenberger is 76 years old. And while we can’t say for sure that his age or his health had anything to do with the decision, it does raise questions. Moreover, what’s more confounding is that none of the assistants or players spoke up at the time.

A 16 point lead with that much time remaining certainly is doable, albeit improbable. And given MSU’s proclivity to botch onside kicks in the past, it should have at least entered the mind of someone on the coaching staff.

An epic FAIL by many on the FAU sideline but foremost amongst them, Schnellenberger. Thankfully, this was not a televised game and most could care less about the Owls performance.

But it should raise red flags to some on the Florida Atlantic athletic department that maybe, just maybe, Schnellenberger is sadly past his prime.

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