Is #1, Miami’s Quantity One All-time Quarterback?

The GOAT debate in sports activities is all the time a posh one to have. Irrespective of the subject, a large number of variables have to be thought-about when conversations are conjured up relating to the most effective gamers, groups, or coaches of all time. Statistics, guidelines, God given expertise, well being, and even eras of competitors ought to all be factored in.

On the College of Miami, some gamers maintain profession data with out being universally thought-about the most effective at their respective positions. Duke Johnson is Miami’s all-time main rusher, nonetheless, Edgerrin James is commonly acknowledged as the most effective operating again at school historical past.

Xavier Restrepo owns just about each receiving report within the guide at Miami, but Michael Irvin and Andre Johnson are talked about earlier than him as WR1.

At security, Hurricanes legends like Bennie Blades, Ed Reed, and Sean Taylor every can stake their claims as the most effective security to daybreak the orange and inexperienced, however just one could be labeled as the most effective.

Miami’s quarterback custom boasts a lineage of legends, from Jim Kelly (1979-1982) to Ken Dorsey (1999-2002), every a testomony to this system’s greatness. These signal-callers, adorned with Maxwell Awards, Davey O’Brien Awards, Heisman Trophies, All-American honors, nationwide championships, or any mixture of the 5, performed pivotal roles in shaping this system’s illustrious historical past.

However what should the most effective quarterback in Canes soccer historical past accomplish to earn the title of GOAT? Is it so simple as profitable all of it and dominating statistical classes? Is it achieved by carrying a group and claiming signature victories over bitter rivals whereas showcasing supreme particular person expertise and accumulating particular person awards within the course of?

Should it look a sure approach?

Regardless of the case, it was Jim Kelly, whose performances are credited for placing Miami on the map by profitable nationally televised video games in opposition to faculty soccer’s finest, that helped Miami earn the nickname “Quarterback U” throughout their decade of dominance.

The Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania native pledged to the College of Miami in 1979. 4 seasons, 5,228 go yards, 33 landing passes, and 30 wins later together with a Peach Bowl victory over Virginia Tech with MOP honors, to not be overshadowed by a program-altering win versus the #1 ranked Penn State Nittany Lions within the Orange Bowl on Halloween in 1981, Kelly acknowledged his case as not solely top-of-the-line quarterbacks to play for Miami however probably the most impactful gamers to ever go well with up within the orange and inexperienced as much as that time.

His performances laid the muse for what was forthcoming within the coming years.

As a lot as a program changer Kelly was for Miami, he merely paved the way in which for his successor. After redshirting the 1982 season, Bernie Kosar took the reins and began all 12 video games in 1983. Like Kelly, identified for placing the nation on discover relating to Miami being a severe soccer program, Kosar deserves credit score for main the Canes to their first nationwide championship in probably the most surprising of fashions.

In what needs to be thought-about top-of-the-line single seasons at school historical past, Kosar claimed wins over Thirteenth-ranked Notre Dame, Twelfth-ranked West Virginia, and the rival Seminoles in a regular-season finale thriller at Doak Campbell Stadium.

His accuracy and management qualities as a younger signal-caller have been obvious regardless of the dearth of an eye-popping statistical redshirt freshman season. 13 interceptions thrown proved that, nonetheless, he culminated 12 months one by finishing 61.5% of passes and defeating Tom Osborne’s top-ranked Nebraska Cornhuskers within the Orange Bowl to say the 1983 nationwide championship.

Kosar’s profession was highlighted by profitable 13 consecutive video games. In that span, 5 victories got here in opposition to ranked opponents, two of which have been back-to-back wins versus the #1 group within the nation – 1983 Orange Bowl nationwide championship sport and 1984 Kickoff Basic versus Auburn in East Rutherford, New Jersey. In Kosar’s second season, he set single-season data for passes accomplished (262), passing yards (3,642), complete offense (3,412 yards), and landing passes thrown.

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The following participant to uphold the Quarterback custom in Coral Gables was none aside from Vinny Testaverde. After arriving at Miami within the fall of 1982, Testaverde waited his flip earlier than seeing the sphere as a full-time starter. Hailing from Brooklyn, New York, Testaverde noticed restricted enjoying time in his true freshman season regardless of being a part of a proficient quarterback room that included Jim Kelly, Bernie Kosar, and Mark Richt.

He took a redshirt 12 months throughout Miami’s 1983 title run and served as a backup once more in 1984 earlier than taking the reigns and beginning as a junior in 1985. Testaverde loved a 3,238 passing yard season as a first-year starter, together with tossing 21 touchdowns, culminating in a 10-2 report and a No. 9 ultimate rating. These numbers eclipsed Kosar’s when he led Miami to its first of 5 nationwide championship victories.

A profitable junior season set the stage for Testaverde’s fifth and ultimate, one which etched his title within the Miami report books. 1986 season noticed him complete 30 touchdowns (26 passing, 4 speeding), full 63.4% of his passes, earn unanimous First-Crew All-American honors, win the Walter Camp Participant of the 12 months, Maxwell, Davey O’Brien and UPI Participant of the 12 months awards.

Most notably, he was the recipient of the 1986 Heisman Trophy, the primary in program historical past. Testaverde ended his Miami profession because the all-time chief in landing passes (48), passing yards (6,058), and each season and profession completion proportion, whereas main the Canes to a 21-1 common season mark as a starter. He was chosen because the primary general decide within the 1987 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

With probably the most embellished quarterback in program historical past off to the professionals, sophomore Steve Walsh stepped right into a high-pressured state of affairs and was anticipated to guide a squad with superior expertise. Senior operating again Melvin Bratton, junior wideout Michael Irvin, Brian and Bennie Blades, Cortez Kennedy, Russell Maryland, George Mira Jr. and a number of different College of Miami soccer family names have been all a part of a heartbreaking nationwide championship loss the season prior and Walsh was tasked with making a mends for that daunting defeat.

Walsh adopted a redshirt season by backing up Testaverde in 1986, solely to race by means of an undefeated common season that included a demonstrative 31-4 win over the twentieth-ranked Gators and a nail-biting 25-26 victory over the fourth-ranked Seminoles at Doak Campbell Stadium. He went three for 3 versus Hurricanes rivals after dispatching the Preventing Irish 24-0 in entrance of an Orange Bowl crowd of 76,640 the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

The regular play of the redshirt sophomore resulted in a modest 2,249 passing yards, lower than Kosar’s and Testaverde’s first season. He additionally threw 19 touchdowns and was intercepted solely seven occasions, throwing an interception in solely 2.3% of passes. Walsh guided Miami to its second undefeated season in program historical past – the primary because the 1926 inaugural season, and the primary undefeated championship season at school historical past beating the top-ranked Oklahoma Sooners 20-14 in a sport during which he hit on 18 of 30 passes for 209 yards and two touchdowns.

Expectations have been hovering for the Hurricanes as Walsh entered his redshirt junior season. The sector basic from St. Paul, Minnesota, bested his sophomore numbers by passing for a career-high 3,115 yards and a single-season college report 29 landing passes.

Apart from Walsh closing his Hurricanes profession tied with Vinny Testaverde for probably the most landing passes thrown at school historical past (48) and a 23-1 general report as a starter, he additionally completed fourth in 1988 Heisman Trophy voting, was the runner-up to Troy Aikman for the Davey O’Brien Award, was named first-team All-American quarterback by the Related Press, the Soccer Writers Affiliation of America and ESPN, and was The Soccer Information School Participant of the 12 months.

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Twice in his 4 seasons was Craig Erickson lucky sufficient to name himself a nationwide champion. Nonetheless, the 1989 championship season cemented Miami’s legacy because the “group of the last decade” giving this system its third title in six years. The primary-time starter was accompanied by first-year Miami head coach Dennis Erickson who leaned on the Hurricanes’ protection to rattle off six straight wins to open the season.

Craig Erickson didn’t play in Miami’s lone loss at FSU as he was sidelined for 3 video games in the midst of the season resulting from harm. And though the third-year junior didn’t dominate the field rating as his predecessors did with solely 16 passing touchdowns and a pair of,007 passing yards on the season, he made up for it with a banner 12 months the next season.

His 3,363 passing yards in 1990 which included six 300-yard passing video games, is the fourth-highest single-season complete at school historical past behind solely Cam Ward, Bernie Kosar, and Ken Dorsey. A few of Erickson’s most memorable performances got here throughout bowl video games during which Miami received. He accounted for 3 landing passes in a 33-25 victory over the Alabama Crimson Tide within the USF&G Sugar Bowl, and 4 landing passes in opposition to the Texas Longhorns on the Cotton Bowl Basic the next season.

Erickson accompanied his three thousand-yard season by throwing 22 touchdowns and profitable the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award recognizing the nation’s high quarterback who finest exemplifies character, scholastic and athletic achievement. He additionally positioned second within the balloting for the Davey O’Brien Award, received by BYU’s Ty Detmer. Erickson completed his profession with a 16-2 report as a starter whereas his 46 profession passing touchdowns place him ninth at school historical past.

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Gino Torretta arrived in Coral Gables for the ‘89 season alongside head coach Dennis Erickson, and sat on the helm of a high-powered offense in 1991, his first season as a starter. In a system constructed on pace, Torretta and the ability gamers surrounding him nicknamed “The Ruthless Posse,” posted scoring outputs of 30-plus factors in seven of 11 common season video games. An undefeated common season earned the Canes a visit to the nationwide championship sport the place Miami shutout the Nebraska Cornhuskers 22-0 in entrance of a New 12 months’s Day Orange Bowl crowd.

There was no drop in manufacturing for the defending nationwide champions in 1992. Miami’s explosive assault eclipsed the 30-point mark on six events with 4 video games surpassing the 40-point threshold together with a 63-point outburst versus San Diego State. Torretta stands as a singular determine in Miami Hurricanes historical past, turning into the primary, and solely certainly one of three quarterbacks to realize consecutive 3,000-yard passing seasons. He achieved this feat in 1991 (3,095 yards) and 1992 (3,060 yards).

Torretta’s spectacular numbers consisting of 19 landing passes, paced the Hurricanes offense en path to 356 factors scored on the season – a 32.4 per sport common rating them ninth within the nation, and one other undefeated common season. The senior gunslinger was awarded the Heisman over Marshall Faulk within the midst of ‘Canes sitting on 29-straight wins — 23 of them with Torretta because the starter.

The Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, the Maxwell Trophy and the Davey O’Brien nationwide quarterback awards have been added to his listing of accolades.

He completed his Miami profession with eleven college passing data, together with profession makes an attempt (991), completions (555), yards (7,690), complete offense (7,722), longest go (99 yards to Horace Copeland vs. Arkansas, an NCAA report) and most passing yards in a sport (485 vs. San Diego State).

Ken Dorsey is without doubt one of the most revered Hurricanes in program historical past. That respect stems from the way during which he led a roster brimming with future Corridor-of-Fame gamers as he was not only a vocal chief; he led by instance, inspiring his teammates by means of his actions on and off the sphere. Dorsey’s first begin got here as a real freshman in 1999 – he went on to win his first 4 begins earlier than dropping his first street begin at Washington throughout his sophomore season.

Following the loss, the previous USA Right now highschool Honorable Point out All-American from Orinda, California went on to seize 34 consecutive wins, posting a 38-2 report as a beginning quarterback. Included in Dorsey’s 38 wins lies a BCS nationwide championship, two bowl victories as a starter, and a formidable 4-0 report in opposition to Florida State and Florida (3-0 versus FSU) throughout his 34-game win streak.

The second his title was etched in Miami lore got here after the sophomore’s thrilling 27-24 comeback victory over the defending champion, top-ranked Seminoles, earlier than a raucous crowd of practically eighty-one thousand on a scorching sizzling October afternoon on the Orange Bowl.

Because the orchestrator of an offense that was instrumental in being a part of the best faculty soccer group of all time in 2001, Dorsey carried out an assault that averaged 454.8 yards per sport, beating opponents by the biggest margin in UM historical past, 33.2 factors per sport. He proved to be the best quarterback for Miami’s balanced assault and led the cost to an ideal common season. His troops adopted his result in the tune of a 37-14 drubbing over the Nebraska Cornhuskers in Pasadena to say this system’s fifth nationwide title within the 2002 Rose Bowl.

Dorsey was named Co-MVP of the sport throwing for 362 yards and three touchdowns, outdueling Nebraska’s Heisman-winning quarterback, Eric Crouch. Heisman voters positioned Dorsey third of their balloting however he did take dwelling the 2001 Maxwell Award, offered to the excellent collegiate participant of the 12 months.

Miami’s all-time winningest quarterback had his finest statistical season as a senior when Dorsey handed for 3,369 yards and 28 touchdowns. Regardless of a formidable common season, he completed fifth in Heisman voting with 122 first-place votes. Dorsey holds Hurricanes profession data for many passing yards (9,565), landing passes (86), highest win proportion (.974), complete offense (9,486 yds), and ranks third behind Jacory Harris and Brad Kaaya with 668 profession completions.

Photograph by Jon Soohoo/WireImage

Thirty-five years after Miami snatched Dennis Erickson from the clutches of Washington State College, historical past repeated itself when Cam Ward transferred to Miami from Pullman, Washington. With the intention of enhancing his NFL draft inventory, Ward blew away the competitors by setting college data that took prior Hurricanes quarterbacks total seasons or careers to succeed in.

His lone season as a Hurricane was not like another from a quarterback at Miami and he started the 2024 season with a bang, torching a Gators protection for 385 yards — probably the most in a debut in program historical past. He continued to rack up 300-yard performances identical to he racked up Heisman moments.

Ward, a Heisman Trophy finalist, surpassed the 300-yard mark within the season’s first seven video games and 10 occasions over his 13 video games performed at Miami. The one-season landing mark set by Steve Walsh in 1988 was damaged by Ward in solely 9 video games when he tossed his fifth landing go versus Duke. His 5 touchdowns within the sport is tied with six former Hurricanes quarterbacks for probably the most landing passes in a contest.

He possesses single-season Miami data for many passing yards (4,313), most 300-yard video games (10), most landing passes (39), and is tied with Stephen Morris for probably the most video games of 400+ passing yards in a season (3).

In Ward’s ultimate sport as a Cane, he wanted one landing go in an effort to break the Division I — FBS and FCS — report held by Houston’s Case Keenum. He delivered three touchdowns passes bringing his profession complete to 158.

Apart from proudly owning personal quite a few Miami data, he’s additionally answerable for a number of late-game heroics that will probably be a part of his Hurricanes legacy, such because the riveting 25-point comeback in opposition to the California Golden Bears, and jaw-dropping moments just like the landing go to Jacolby George he threw in opposition to the Gators. Ward’s uncanny capability to flee stress, evade sacks, and make throws from awkward angles with pinpoint accuracy is what units him aside from another quarterback within the historical past of this system.

Previous to his ultimate collegiate contest, Ward turned the third Hurricane to win the Davey O’Brien Award. He was additionally acknowledged because the ACC Participant of the 12 months, ACC Offensive Participant of the 12 months, and a First-team All-American (AP, AFCA, Sporting Information, Walter Camp).

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Given the illustrious historical past of Miami Hurricanes quarterbacks, with their numerous accolades, standout seasons, unforgettable moments, and championship careers, crowning one because the “finest ever” presents a formidable problem.

Which certainly one of these legendary gamers checks off all the mandatory containers to be declared the most effective sign caller in program historical past?

Is it Cam Ward and all he did in 13 video games regardless of not profitable a bowl sport though he can simply contend as probably the most bodily gifted passer at school historical past?

Might it’s Dorsey who received a nationwide championship because the unquestioned chief on the offense of the best faculty soccer group ever assembled?

Then once more, how may it’s Dorsey if he by no means received a Heisman when Gino Torretta received a nationwide championship, the 1992 Heisman Trophy, and led the 1991 group to an undefeated season?

What about Jim Kelly, the trendsetter himself who began all of it again in 1979 by laying the muse for therefore many nice quarterbacks to succeed at Miami?

How a lot does the “eye check” issue right into a dialogue like this?

These are all questions that have to be taken into consideration when broaching this subject.

Arguments could be made for every quarterback beforehand talked about, particularly when one evaluates their particular person performances in “must-win” video games. Given the quite a few elements to contemplate when narrowing this listing, establishing standards that precisely displays every participant’s accomplishments could be fairly difficult.

So, in spite of everything that, who do you suppose is the most effective quarterback to ever go well with up for the Hurricanes?