Miami football: 5 great players who didn’t live up to the NFL hype

While Gino Torretta was a part of two Miami football teams that went on to win the National Championship, he only played a significant part in the 1991 title. In the 1989 season (and 1990 as well) Torretta was serving as the backup quarterback. Coincidentally, however, his one meaningful appearance over that span saw him set a school record for single-game passing yards as he threw for 485 yards against San Diego State.

Torretta earned the starting job as a junior in the 1991 season and enjoyed a terrific year. Not only did he throw for 3,095 yards with 20 touchdowns and eight interceptions but, of course, he also helped lead the Hurricanes to their second National Championship in three years. While that team was known for its defense, Torretta’s ability to sling it also played a big part in their success.

Of course, it wasn’t a storybook ending to Torretta’s Miami football career, at least for the Hurricanes. In his senior season, the Canes fell short of another title as they were embarrassed by Alabama in the Sugar Bowl. Having said that, Torretta still left his mark as he threw for another 3,000+ yards with 19 scores and seven interceptions. Those numbers were good enough to win him the Heisman Trophy for 1992.

Despite all he accomplished at Miami — a theme for Hurricanes quarterbacks –, Torretta wasn’t selected until the seventh round of the 1993 NFL Draft when the Minnesota Vikings picked up him. Over five years in the NFL, Torretta only played in two games and threw 16 career passes. It’s safe to say that his time with the Canes was the pinnacle of his football-playing career.