The 25 best players in Miami football history

The ever-versatile Dooley was one of the first true football stars at Miami. The local product shone on both sides of the ball for the Hurricanes and was a first-team All-American by The Associated Press. Dooley might be best known for that four-interception performance against Clemson in the 1952 Gator Bowl -- an effort that's still considered legendary. His 17 career interceptions rank third in school history. Dooley's No. 42 was the first of only four to be retired at Miami. 

Bosseler starred for Miami more than 65 years ago, but his 1,642 career rushing yards ranked 20th in school history as of the 2022 season. An All-American, Bosseler was a four-year starter and helped lead the Hurricanes to an 8-1-1 record in 1965. He was named MVP of the Senior Bowl and inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1990. Bosseler went on to rush for more than 12,000 yards with the Washington Redkins.

Mira's No. 10 had the honor of being retired by the Miami program, and rightfully so. The All-American, who was born and raised in Key West, was Miami's first star quarterback. A Heisman Trophy finalist in 1962, when he threw for 1,893 yards, Mira topped that total with 2,155 as a senior. Mira's 321 passing-yard effort during the 1962 Gotham Bowl against Nebraska remains one of the school's best individual performances of all time. 

Hendricks was one of the greats in both college and the NFL and perhaps the greatest defender to ever come out of Miami. He is another Hurricane to have his uniform number retired and is the only Miami player to earn All-American honors in three straight seasons. Entering the 2022 campaign, Hendricks was still Miami's all-time leader for tackles by a defensive end (227) and fumble recoveries (12). A member of both the College and Pro Football Hall of Fames, Hendricks has an award named in his honor, given annually to the top collegiate defensive end.

Before Anderson won two Super Bowls and rushed for more than 10,000 yards in the NFL, he enjoyed quite the career at Miami. But, even though Anderson's 3,331 rushing yards rank only behind Duke Johnson's 3,519 for the most in school history, he tends to get lost amid the mass of individual football greatness at Miami. Anderson's 1,266 yards from 1978 rank fifth for a season at Miami. His 13 games of at least 100 yards are the fourth-most in school history.

Over the years, Miami has considered itself somewhat of a "Quarterback U." George Mira, Jim Kelly (who had trouble staying healthy in college before becoming an NFL legend), then Kosar, who is often credited with kickstarting the moniker. And why not? Kosar led the Hurricanes to their first national championship in 1983 -- as a freshman. In 1984, his final season at Miami, Kosar threw for a school-record 3,642 yards, as well as a Hurricanes-best 262 completions. In just two seasons, Kosar threw for 5,971 yards, which ranks ninth in school history. His 40 career touchdowns rank 10th.

On the heels of Kosar's success at Miami, Testaverde took things to another level at the position and became the school's first Heisman Trophy winner. Testaverde won the coveted award, along with just about every other player of the year or national quarterback honor, in 1986. That season, Testaverde threw for 2,557 yards with 26 touchdowns and nine interceptions. Actually, one season earlier, he passed for 3,238 yards. One of the four Hurricanes to have his number retired and a College Football Hall of Famer, Testaverde totaled 6,058 passing yards and 48 touchdowns at Miami -- both among the top 10 in school history.

Miami has produced many stellar defensive backs over the decades, but Blades is still the only one to win the Jim Thorpe Award (1987), honoring the best collegian at the position. A fierce hitter and stout in coverage, Blades shares the single-season school record with 10 interceptions recorded in 1986. His 19 career interceptions are the second-most all-time at Miami. Blades was a two-time All-American and is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame.

Flashy, brash and the epitome of "The 'U'" culture -- for better or worse. Irvin usually backed up his actions on the field, which resulted in 2,423 career yards (third in school history), 143 receptions (tied for fourth) and the school's all-time leader with 26 receiving touchdowns. A member of the 1987 national championship team and first-team All-American in 1986. Of course, all this was a precursor to Irvin's brilliant, but also controversial, Hall-of-Fame NFL career.

Walsh's place on this list might be a head-scratcher to some, but he remains an unheralded talent when put up against some of the legendary names to play for the Hurricanes. The truth is that Walsh certainly belongs. He helped Miami win a national championship in 1987, was a consensus All-American in 1988 and is tied for fifth all-time at Miami with 48 career touchdown passes. Walsh's 59.4 career completion percentage is also fifth at Miami. His 29 TD passes from 1988 when he also threw for 3.115 yards, are still a single-season school record. 

The first Miami player to win the Outland Trophy, given to the nation's top lineman on either side of the ball. That came in 1990 when Maryland recorded 10 1/2 sacks and also earned All-American status. When Maryland's time with the Hurricanes had come to an end, he was credited with 279 tackles, including 25 for loss and 20 1/2 sacks. Perhaps most important, Maryland helped Miami win two national championships (1987 and '89). In 2011, Maryland was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

A three-year starter for the Hurricanes and an All-American in 1991, Searcy was a vital part of two national championship teams at Miami. A lot is made about Miami's skill players and vaunted defense during that era, but Searcy was certainly a valuable commodity who is a member of the University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame. He was selected in the first round by the Pittsburgh Steelers and was a Pro Bowl selection in 1999 with Jacksonville.

Torretta's NFL never materialized into anything, but his career with the Hurricanes is obviously worth celebrating. He's Miami's second and most-recent Heisman Trophy winner, claiming the award in 1992 when he threw for 3,060 yards and 19 touchdowns. That came one season after he helped the Hurricanes win the national championship by throwing for 3,095 yards with 20 touchdowns. For his career, Torretta threw for 7,690 yards, fifth all-time in Miami history, and also ranks among the school's top 10 for completions (555) and touchdowns (47). He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2009.

One of the true icons from the Hurricanes' program, Sapp blossomed from a standout college football player to a Hall-of-Fame NFL legend. Sapp produced one of the great individual seasons during the decade of the '90s, in 1994. That's when he posted 84 tackles and 10 1/2 sacks to win Big East Defensive Player of the Year. More notably, the effort won Sapp two of the biggest national defensive awards -- Bronko Nagurski Trophy and Lombardi Award -- while also finishing sixth in the Heisman Trophy voting. 

As is often noted on lists such as this, there will be some controversial figures. Lewis' off-field issues as a pro have turned football fans off to Lewis, but his success on the field can't be denied. In three seasons with the Hurricanes, Lewis recorded 388 tackles (ranked sixth in school history), and his 160 from 1995, and 152 posted in '94, still rank Nos. 1 and 2, respectively, at Miami for a single season. All this opened the door for the two-time, first-team All-American to deliver a Hall-of-Fame NFL career.

James certainly made the most of his 28 games at Miami. His 2,960 rushing yards rank third in school history for a career, while his 32 touchdowns are the second-most by any rushing Hurricane. James' 14 games with at least 100 yards on the ground are tied for the most at Miami. Meanwhile, his 1,416 rushing yards from 1998 rank second among all Hurricanes for a single season. Of course, all that proved to be a springboard for a Hall-of-Fame career in the NFL.

No player in the history of the Hurricanes' program has recorded more career tackles than Morgan. He's the only Miami defender to post at least 500 tackles -- 532, in Morgan's case. Morgan's 150 total stops from 1998, when he became the first sophomore team captain in school history, are tied for third-most in a single season at Miami. In 2000, Morgan made 138 tackles en route to being named Big East Defensive Player of the Year and sweeping most of the major national top defensive player of the year honors, such as the Butkus and Bednarik Awards and the Jack Lambert and Bronko Nagurski Trophies. He is also a member of the College Football Hall of Fame.

When it comes up to piling up receiving yards at the University of Miami, nobody has more than Moss. He's the school's all-time leader with 2,546 yards. Not to mention. Moss ranks among the top 10 at Miami in career receptions (143) and touchdowns (19). The Big East Offensive Player of the Year and a consensus All-American in 2000, Moss also ranks among Miami's best in punt return yards (1,196), punt return touchdowns (six), and all-purpose yards (4.394).

Bennie Blades might be Miami's only Jim Thorpe Award winner, but Reed, arguably, could be the school's greatest defensive back of all time. A College and Pro Football Hall of Famer, Reed is a collegiate national champion and a Super Bowl winner. He's the Hurricanes' all-time leader with 21 interceptions, nine of which came in 2001, when he was co-Big East Defensive Player of the Year. The two-time All-American also totaled 288 tackles and forced four fumbles at Miami.

Right behind Santana Moss on Miami's all-time receiving yards list is Wayne -- with 2,510. Wayne, however, is the Hurricanes' career leader with 173 receptions. Talk about a true 1-2 receiver punch. Wayne's 20 touchdowns are also tied for fourth-most by any Miami pass catcher. While Wayne only earned All-Big East honors as a four-year starter for the Hurricanes, his college career laid the groundwork for a sensational, six-time Pro Bowl career in the NFL with the Indianapolis Colts.

In 2001, Miami won the national championship. Portis was a big reason why, rushing for 1,200 yards, averaging 5.6 per carry, and scoring 10 touchdowns on the ground. That rushing total ranks sixth in school history for a season, while Portis' 2,523 career rushing yards sit fifth among all Hurricanes. Portis also ran for 21 touchdowns during his career at Miami, which entering the 2022 season, was among the top 10 in program history.

The second Hurricane, and first Miami offensive lineman, to win the Outland Trophy (2001). McKinnie, whose college football career began at Lackawanna Junior College in Scranton, Pa., was honored as an All-American by various outlets in both 2000 and during Miami's national championship season of 2001. According to the University of Miami, McKinnie was not credited with not allowing a sack during his career with the Hurricanes.

Dorsey got better each season at Miami. By the time his run with the Hurricanes ended, he was a national champion and Maxwell Award winner -- both in 2001 -- and an All-American (2002). Dorsey's 9,565 passing yards rank second only to Brad Kaaya's 9,968 on the school's career list, while his 86 touchdown passes are still No. 1. Dorsey's best season came in 2002, when he threw for 3,369 yards and 28 touchdowns -- both second among single-season Hurricanes' quarterbacks.

Another standout offensive lineman from Miami's 2001 national championship squad. In 2002, Romberg became the first, and thus far only, Hurricane to win the Rimington Award, given to the nation's top center. Like Bryant McKinnie, Romberg was also credited with not allowing a quarterback sack during his time with Miami. According to the school, Romberg recorded 33 pancake blocks and started 37 straight games at center. The Hurricanes lost just two games during his collegiate tenure.

Taylor's life ended in tragedy, but his collegiate legacy at Miami remains legendary. In 2003, Taylor was a consensus first-team All-American and the Big East Defensive Player of the Year while recording 10 interceptions -- tied for first in a single season at Miami. Taylor ranks within the program's top 10 for career interceptions (14), interception return yards (306) and interceptions returned for touchdowns (three). He was also credited with 188 career tackles and 15 passes defended.