Last Miami Football Player to Win the Heisman Trophy

Miami football is experiencing something of a Renaissance under Mario Cristobal. For the first time since moving from the Big East more than 20 years ago, the Hurricanes are the conference’s most powerful program.

That, along with last year’s College Football Playoff run to the national title game, has had a dramatic effect on the Miami football odds market. 

While the team futures remain popular targets this year, don’t overlook BetMGM’s Heisman Trophy odds market. Miami quarterbacks have been a staple of the Heisman race over the last few years. 

In addition to Darian Mensah’s status as a Heisman frontrunner, wide receiver Malachi Toney was widely considered another leading contender before getting hurt during a Week 10 practice.

If Mensah wins the award, he’ll be the third Miami football player to win it and the first from this century.

Last Miami Football Player to Win the Heisman Trophy

The last Miami football player to win the Heisman Trophy was Hurricanes quarterback Gino Torretta, who won the award in 1992. 

Torretta was the second Miami quarterback to win the Heisman in a seven-year period, following Vinny Testaverde in 1986. The late 80s and early 90s were a golden age of Miami football, as the awards indicate.

Torretta won the award after passing for 3,070 yards and 19 touchdowns during an undefeated regular season. He also won the Maxwell, Walter Camp, Johnny Unitas, Golden Arm, and Davey O’Brien Awards.

Testaverde, who made history for the Hurricanes as the program’s first Heisman winner, ran away with the vote in 1986. Miami finished the regular season at 11-0, and Testaverde threw 26 passing touchdowns – quite a lot for an 11-game regular season in the 1980s!