Hurricanes to retire Heisman winner Gino Torretta’s number
Current Miami wide receiver Michael Redding III and defensive lineman Chantz Williams will be the last Hurricanes to wear the No. 13.
The program will retire the No. 13 in honor of former quarterback Gino Torretta, the team announced Thursday. The number-retirement ceremony will take place during Miami’s home finale against Louisville on Nov. 18.
“We are excited to announce the retirement of Gino Torretta’s No. 13 jersey,” UM athletic director Dan Radakovich said in a press release. “Gino is the most decorated college player in University of Miami football history and is also a member of our Ring of Honor, which serves as the highest honor for a Hurricanes football player or coach. We look forward to recognizing Gino and his family at Hard Rock Stadium on November 18.”
Miami has retired four other football players’ numbers: No. 10 (George Mira), No. 14 (Vinny Testaverde), No. 42 (Jim Dooley) and No. 89 (Ted Hendricks). Torretta is one of two UM players to win the Heisman Trophy, along with Testaverde.
Torretta, a College Football Hall of Famer, played four seasons with the Hurricanes, completing 56 percent of his passes for 7,690 yards. He threw 47 touchdowns with 24 interceptions. He ranks fifth all-time in passing yards and eighth all-time in passing touchdowns among Miami quarterbacks.
After making four starts as a freshman for Miami’s 1989 national title team, Torretta went on to start for two seasons at UM. In 1991, he led Miami to an undefeated 12-0 season, claiming Big East and national titles. He threw for 3,095 yards and 20 touchdowns with eight interceptions.
In 1992, he passed for 3,065 yards and 19 touchdowns with seven interceptions. Torretta won the Heisman Trophy. He also won the Davey O’Brien Award, the Walter Camp Award, the Maxwell Award, the Johnny Unitas Trophy, and the Chic Harley Award. However, Torretta threw three interceptions against Alabama, and Miami fell to the Crimson Tide in the Sugar Bowl to end their bid for back-to-back national titles.
Torretta went 26-2 in his tenure with Miami, and he held 11 school records when he graduated. The Minnesota Vikings took Torretta in the seventh round of the 1993 NFL draft, and he played five seasons in the NFL.
“Gino Torretta was a great quarterback in a lot of different ways,” former Miami coach Dennis Erickson said in a press release. “He was smart. He knew the offense in and out. He was a great competitor, a leader, and most importantly a winner.”