Fran Curci was the first Miami Hurricanes quarterback named an All-American in 1959. Curci was followed by George Mira Sr. in 1962 and 63, Bernie Kosar in 1984, Vinny Testaverde in 1985 and 1986, Steve Walsh in 1988, Gino Torretta in 1992 and Ken Dorsey in 2001 and 2002. Walsh, Torretta and Dorsey led Miami to National Championships.
Curci completed 51.3 percent of his passes for 1,068 yards, five touchdowns and 14 interceptions with 102 carries for 260 yards and three scores. Miami finished the 1959 season 6-4 led by Curci. The highlights of the 1959 season a 7-6 win over Florida State and a 18-13 victory by number 18 Miami over 13th-ranked Michigan State.
The 1960 season was the only year separating Curci and Mira at QB for Miami. Mira was the first two-time All-American QB in Miami history. In 1962 Mira was a first-team all-American completing 46.9 percent of his passes for 1572 yards, 10 TDs and 16 interceptions with 160 rushing yards and three more scores.
Mira completed 51.5 percent of his passes for 2155 passing yards, 10 TD and 14 interceptions, with 163 rushing yards and two scores in 1962, earning second-team all-American. Miami was 17-15 in three seasons with Mira as the starting QB. The Hurricanes played in the 1961 Liberty Bowl and the 1962 Gotham Bowl.
George Mira @CanesFootball pic.twitter.com/G1cPAElIew
— Old Time Football 🏈 (@Ol_TimeFootball) October 18, 2022
Miami did not have another All-American after Mira until Kosar earned second-team in 1984. Coming off a national championship season, Kosar set the Miami single-season record throwing for 3,642 yards, while completing 63.0 percent of his passes with 25 TDs, 16 interceptions and adding four rushing scores.
The transition from Kelly to Kosar to Testaverde elevated Miami to QB U. In his first season as a starter, Testaverde completed 61.4 percent of his passes for 3,238 yards, 21 touchdowns and 15 interceptions with four rushing scores to earn second-team All-American. Miami finished the season 11-2.
This clip takes us all the way back to 1986 where eventual Heisman winner Vinny Testaverde scrambled like only he could and found Alonzo Highsmith for a TD. Brian Blades comes to celebrate with him and Miami cruises to a 41-23 victory. #OBmemories pic.twitter.com/YyhOvknfaV
— Canes Legacy (@CanesLegacy) November 16, 2019
Testaverde led Miami to one of its best seasons in 1986, completing 63.4 percent of his passes for 2,557 yards, 26 touchdowns, nine interceptions and four rushing TDs. Although Miami lost 14-10 in the Fiesta Bowl to Penn State, Testaverde earned first-team All-American and became the first of two Hurricanes' Heisman Trophy winners.
Like Kosar in 1984, Steve Walsh entered the 1988 season after leading Miami to a national championship in the previous season. In Jimmy Johnson's last season as head coach, Walsh completed 59.7 percent of his passes, for 3,115 yards, 29 TDs and 12 interceptions as Miami finished 11-1 and second in the final AP Poll.
Toretta became the fourth Miami QB to return for the Hurricanes after leading them to a national championship. Craig Erickson preceded Toretta and was the Miami QB in 1989 and 1990. Torretta completed 56.7 percent of his passes for 3,060 passing yards 19 TDs and seven interceptions as he won the second Miami Heisman Trophy.
Dorsey first earned All-American during Miami's 2001 national championship season when he was named to the second team. Dorsey completed 57.9 percent of his passes for 2,652 passing yards, 23 TDs and nine interceptions as Miami finished 12-0 in what is widely considered the best team in college football history.
Dorsey completed 56.5 percent of his passes for 3,369 yards, 28 TDs and 12 interceptions in 2002 to earn first-team All-American. In 2001, Dorsey finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting and followed that up by finishing fifth in 2002. I nearly four seasons as the Miami starting QB, Dorsey led the Hurricanes to a 38-2 record.
It's not a coincidence that all five of Miami's national championship teams featured an All-American QB that season or a year later. Testaverde and Torretta are both College Football Hall of Fame Inductees. All of the All-American QBs are University of Miami Hall of Fame inductees.