Boca Raton, FL -- (Sports Network) - Florida Atlantic extended the contract of head football coach Howard Schnellenberger through the 2010 season on Wednesday.

Schnellenberger, 74, has been the head coach at Florida Atlantic since the school began playing football in 2001, recording a 41-42 record in that span. Last season, he led the Owls to an 8-5 record, the Sun Belt Conference championship and a victory over Memphis in the New Orleans Bowl while being named the Sun Belt Coach of the Year.

Schnellenberger joined FAU in 1998 to spearhead the creation of the football program after winning 100 games in 16 years as a head coach. He had his greatest success at Miami-Florida, where he resurrected a failing program before leading the Hurricanes to the 1983 National Championship.

The Louisville, Kentucky native has more than 40 years of coaching experience at the college and pro levels, and owns a 141-119-3 head coaching record over 23 seasons at Miami, Louisville, Oklahoma and FAU.