The Miami Hurricanes football nation is in mourning today ... as are college football fans around the country ... with the news that Howard Schnellenberger passed away at age 87. The cause of his death was not announced.

He made the most of his 87 years, and UM fans are forever indebted to the man who essentially built the program to greatness and gave the Canes their first national championship. Of course, once he left UM went to win four more, giving the program five in a 19-year span.

Before his arrival at Miami the team hadn't enjoyed an overall winning season in nine years. After taking over for Lou Saban (Schnellenberger was previously the Miami Dolphins' offensive coordinator), there was even talk of having the team move down a division to I-AA.

Schnellenberger was having none of that.

The man with the gravelly voice had a vision to build a "fence around Miami" and keep top local players home. That paid off, as did his going elsewhere to land talent including Ohio QB Bernie Kosar. He coached Jim Kelly and Vinny Testaverde, helping give Miami its QB U nickname.

Among the local players he convinced to stay home to try and win a national championship: Alonzo Highsmith, Brian Blades, Melvin Bratton ... the list goes on and on.

He arrived in 1979 and in 1983 had the miraculous national title with a win over Nebraska when Kenny Calhoun batted down Turner Gill's two-point conversion pass.

Schnellenberger left Miami in 1984 to take a job in the USFL. That never worked out and he later coached at Louisville and went on to build the FAU football program.

He will be missed by his wife, Beverlee, sons Stuart and Tim, three grandchildren and the entire Miami Hurricane nation.