25 biggest villains in college football history
By Brad Weiss
Michael Irvin
Wide Receiver, Miami (FL)
Back in the 1980s, the University of Miami football team was an extremely talented unit, and they knew it. The leader of the pack was their flamboyant wide receiver, who would go on to become a Pro Football Hall of Famer once his time at the U was finished. Michael Irvin was the playmaker of the Hurricanes football team, and no player was more hated then he was by the opposition during the rise of the Miami Hurricanes.
The Hurricanes of the late 1980s helped revolutionize college football. The players on those teams knew they were talented, and backed up their swagger on the field with dominating performances. It all came crashing down eventually, but to be a Hurricanes fan back then, there was no player that was more exciting than Michael Irvin.
Nicknamed “The Playmaker,” Irvin was known for his high-stepping antics, leaving defensive backs in his wake. A member of the school’s 1987 National Championship team, Irvin drew the ire of the Hurricanes opposition, and would flash his trademark smile doing it. He played so well that the Dallas Cowboys made him the No. 11 overall pick in the 1988 NFL Draft, and he would go on to win three titles with America’s Team, including two with former Hurricanes coach, Jimmy Johnson.
Since retiring from football, Irvin has carved out a nice living as an analyst. However, he has not been able to shake his bad-boy persona, and is being investigated for sexual assault. One cannot deny the impact Irvin has had on the game of football, at both the pro and collegiate level, and his talents have certainly caused him to have plenty of haters over the years.