Gino Torretta was the third Miami Hurricanes third quarterback to lead them to a National Championship and second Heisman Trophy Winner. He is the only quarterback in Miami history to do both.
Gino Torretta is Miami’s only quarterback to start games in two National Championship seasons. He added being the only UM QB to win the Heisman Trophy and quarterback the Canes to a national championship.
Torretta was the Miami Hurricanes backup quarterback in 1988 and ’89 behind Craig Erickson. He did start three games during the Hurricanes 1989 National Championship season.
Torretta entered his Junior season 122 out of 218, for 1,535 yards, eight touchdowns, and nine interceptions. He greatly improved those numbers during the Hurricanes National Championship season in 1991.
Miami entered the 1991 season off a controversial win in the Cotton Bowl. The Hurricanes won the game over Texas 46-3, but taunted the Longhorns and were called for 202 yards in penalties, resulting in six first downs. Miami finished the 1990 season 10-2.
The Hurricanes began the 1991 season ranked third in the AP Poll. They defeated Arkansas 31-3 in Little Rock to open up the season. Miami moved up to second in the polls after having a bye in week two. The Canes would stay there until they traveled to Tallahassee to play Florida State on November 16.
That was the most famous game in the history of the rivalry. Miami had to overcome a 16-7 second-half deficit to take a late17-16 lead on a Larry Jones short touchdown run. What came next on the Seminoles drive to win the game became Miami Hurricanes legend and lore.
Florida State drove deep into Miami territory with a chance to kick a game-winning field goal. Any Miami fan that doesn’t know what happened next should.
Like their fifth and final National Championship ten years later, Miami struggled to win at Boston College a week later. Miami survived 19-14 in Chestnut Hill.
The Hurricanes polished off San Diego State at home in the final game of the regular season. They shutout Big Eight Champion and 11th ranked Nebraska 22-0 in the Orange Bowl to win their fourth National Title in nine seasons.
NFL Mocks
Torretta finished the season completing 55.3 percent of his passes for 3,095 yards, 20 touchdowns and eight interceptions. By the end of the 1991 season, Torretta held the two best passing yardage games in school history. His 485 yards against San Diego State broke his own record of 468 yards two seasons prior against San Jose State.
The Miami Hurricanes began Torretta’s Heisman Trophy season ranked number one in the preseason. They began the season shortly after Andrew, the deadliest Hurricane in Miami history devastated South Florida.
Miami was number one in the polls to begin the season. They stayed there until an 8-7 victory over Arizona dropped them to number two.
The Hurricanes would go back and forth between first and second over the next six weeks. They regained number one for the remainder of the regular season in the November 18 poll.
Miami finished the regular season with a 29 game winning streak extending back to 1990. They entered the Sugar Bowl against 12-0 Alabama. The Crimson Tide thumped the Hurricanes 34-13 to avenge their loss to Miami in the Sugar Bowl three years prior.
Next: Special year has brought national recognition back to Miami Hurricanes
Torretta earned the Heisman Trophy by completing 56.7 percent of his passes for 3,060 yards, 19 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. Those were nearly identical stats to his performance during the 1991 Championship season.