Fansided

Miami football: 25 greatest Hurricanes of all time

By Joe Romano

MIAMI - JANUARY 1: Defensive back Sean Taylor #26 of the Miami Hurricanes attempts to elude wide receiver P.K. Sam #4 of the Florida State Seminoles during the 2004 Orange Bowl game on January 1, 2004 at Pro Player Stadium in Miami, Florida. The Hurricanes won 16-14. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
MIAMI - JANUARY 1: Defensive back Sean Taylor #26 of the Miami Hurricanes attempts to elude wide receiver P.K. Sam #4 of the Florida State Seminoles during the 2004 Orange Bowl game on January 1, 2004 at Pro Player Stadium in Miami, Florida. The Hurricanes won 16-14. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) /
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Bernie Kosar #20 quarterback of the University of Miami Hurricanes passes the ball downfield against the University of Florida Gators at Tampa Stadium in Tampa, Florida, on September 1, 1984. The Hurricanes won 32-20. (Photo by Collegiate Images, LLC/WireImage) *** Local Caption ***
Bernie Kosar #20 quarterback of the University of Miami Hurricanes passes the ball downfield against the University of Florida Gators at Tampa Stadium in Tampa, Florida, on September 1, 1984. The Hurricanes won 32-20. (Photo by Collegiate Images, LLC/WireImage) *** Local Caption *** /

14. Bernie Kosar

Quarterback, 1982-1985

During the height of Miami’s rise to prominence, everyone wanted to be a part of that program. A big quarterback recruit from the state of Ohio, Bernie Kosar, was one of them. Kosar would join the program in 1982 and redshirt his first season due to a crowded quarterback room. That group included Jim Kelly, Vinny Testaverde and Mark Richt.

In 1983 Kosar took over as the starting quarterback despite being a redshirt freshman. In his first season, the team would go 11-1 and beat the Nebraska Cornhuskers for a National Championship. Kosar’s performance in that game earned him MVP. His play was even more impressive considering the Huskers were riding a 22-game win streak coming into the Orange Bowl.

The following season Kosar would go on to finish fourth in the Heisman voting and be named a second-team All-American. He was on the opposite side of the field for the famous game where Doug Flutie of Boston College threw a Hail Mary for the win that season. Miami would not go back to the National Championship.

Kosar’s draft saga is a story for another day. When it was all said and done he was drafted by his hometown Cleveland Browns in the supplemental draft. He would go on to play 12 seasons in the NFL with the Browns, Dallas Cowboys and Miami Dolphins. His final two stints saw him backing up Hall of Fame quarterbacks Troy Aikman and Dan Marino.

A team that was known as “Quarterback U” for quite some time owes Kosar for some of that nickname. He carried the torch from Kelly and passed it to Testaverde.

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