Being a legacy player for the Miami Hurricanes might be more important than it is at any other school. The Hurricanes have at least five legacy players on this year’s roster. More are on the way in the fall of 2018.
In an article with ESPN.Com, Miami Hurricanes legacy players Vincent Testaverde and Scott Patchan discussed what it’s like to play at a school where their fathers’ both played collegiately.
Punter Zach Feagles, defensive lineman Pat Bethel, and tight end Michael Irvin II are also on the Miami Football roster. Safety Al Blades Jr is on the way next season.
Testaverde is a long shot to earn the starting job at quarterback. His father manned the position for two seasons. The elder Testaverde won the 1986 Heisman Trophy as the Hurricanes signal caller.
In an anecdote relayed in the ESPN article, University of Miami Geography and Regional Studies professor Thomas Boswell called Testaverde and Patchan down after class one day. He said to them:
"“I recognize you two…You’re spitting images of your dads.”"
Over 30 years later it’s remarkable for the current players to share teachers and professors with those of their famous fathers. Patchan said:
"“I have a lot of teachers at Miami that have tenure and taught my dad. It’s very funny…Apparently, my dad was very smart in the way he could retain information. That’s cool to understand. I’m the same way.”"
The legacy at the U is very important to the fan base. Spurn them and head somewhere else and some of the fanbase will turn against you quickly. Irvin II spoke about the pressure of having to play at Miami.
"“Of course, there was a lot of extra pressure…I would have liked to have gone and seen a bunch more places, but some of them didn’t offer me because they thought, ‘Oh, he’s going to Miami.’ Everybody was telling me, ‘Oh, we can’t wait to see you at Miami.'”"
Bethel’s father won championships with the Miami Hurricanes during the 1987 and 89 seasons. He reiterated what Irvin said about the pressure to attend Miami.
"“You’re going to Miami. Your dad went there…I almost got tired of hearing it. I was like, ‘Dude, you’re not in my head. You don’t know what’s going on.’ Yeah, I knew he went here. It was very cool. He’s got his two rings. He knows what it takes, but it’s been both a blessing and a curse in terms of people bringing it up all the time. I don’t know why it’s so hard for people to believe it, but it wasn’t much of a factor because I’m my own person.”"
No name might be more synonymous with Miami Hurricanes football than the Blades family. Before Al Junior’s father, Al Senior played there in the early 2000s his uncles Brian and Bennie were part of the Hurricanes glory era in the late eighties. Bennie is in the College Football Hall of Fame.
It’s hard to imagine what happens if he doesn’t wind up at Miami. At this point, his decision to attend Miami can only be a verbal commitment. Al Jr talked about the pressure of growing up a legacy. This was despite his father’s death when he was three years old.
"“It’s just something in our blood, not something they forced down your throat…Whenever a UM game was on, you were just there watching it. You don’t really realize that you’re being groomed to become a diehard Cane, but at the end of the day, that’s what it becomes.”"
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All of the Hurricanes’ legacies but Testaverde should get playing time this season. Irvin is the second string at tight end on a team only three deep. Feagles is likely to be Miami’s punter. Bethel and Patchan should see time on the Miami defensive line.