1991 Miami Hurricanes football team

American college football season

1991 Miami Hurricanes football

AP Poll national champion Orange Bowl champion
Orange Bowl, W 22–0 vs. Nebraska
Conference	Big East Conference
Ranking
Coaches	No. 2
AP	No. 1
Record	12–0 (2–0 Big East)
Head coach	Dennis Erickson (3rd season)
Offensive coordinator	Bob Bratkowski (3rd season)
Offensive scheme	One-Back Spread
Defensive coordinator	Sonny Lubick (3rd season)
Base defense	4–3
Home stadium	Miami Orange Bowl (Capacity: 74,712)
Seasons ← 1990 1992 →

1991 Big East Conference football standings
v t e	Conf					Overall
Team	W		L		T	W		L		T
No. 11 Syracuse	5	–	0	–	0	10	–	2	–	0
No. 1 Miami (FL)	2	–	0	–	0	12	–	0	–	0
Virginia Tech	1	–	0	–	0	5	–	6	–	0
Pittsburgh	3	–	2	–	0	6	–	5	–	0
West Virginia	3	–	4	–	0	6	–	5	–	0
Rutgers	2	–	3	–	0	6	–	5	–	0
Boston College	2	–	4	–	0	4	–	7	–	0
Temple	0	–	5	–	0	2	–	9	–	0

The Big East did not crown an official champion until 1993 when full league play began. Rankings from AP Poll

The 1991 Miami Hurricanes football team represented the University of Miami during the 1991 NCAA Division I-A football season. It was the Hurricanes' 66th season of football and first as a member of the Big East Conference. The Hurricanes were led by third-year head coach Dennis Erickson and played their home games at the Orange Bowl. They finished the season 12–0 overall and 2–0 in the Big East while playing a partial conference schedule. They were invited to the Orange Bowl where they defeated Nebraska, 22–0. The Hurricanes were named as national champions by the AP Poll, the program's fourth national championship. Washington, who also finished 12–0 overall, were named as champions by the Coaches Poll.

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Rank	Site	TV	Result	Attendance	Source
August 31	12:00 pm	at Arkansas*	No. 3	War Memorial Stadium Little Rock, AR	ABC	W 31–3	46,308
September 12	8:00 pm	No. 10 Houston*	No. 2	Miami Orange Bowl Miami, FL	ESPN	W 40–10	71,842
September 28	2:00 pm	at Tulsa*	No. 2	Skelly Stadium Tulsa, OK		W 34–10	35,689
October 5	12:00 pm	Oklahoma State*	No. 2	Miami Orange Bowl Miami, FL		W 40–3	42,751
October 12	12:00 pm	No. 9 Penn State*	No. 2	Miami Orange Bowl Miami, FL	ABC	W 26–20	75,723
October 19	4:00 pm	Long Beach State*	No. 2	Miami Orange Bowl Miami, FL		W 55–0	40,498	^[1]
October 26	10:00 pm	at Arizona*	No. 2	Arizona Stadium Tucson, AZ		W 36–9	53,349
November 9	4:00 pm	West Virginia	No. 3	Miami Orange Bowl Miami, FL		W 27–3	60,250	^[2]
November 16	12:00 pm	at No. 1 Florida State*	No. 2	Doak Campbell Stadium Tallahassee, FL (rivalry)	ABC	W 17–16	63,442
November 23	7:30 pm	at Boston College	No. 1	Alumni Stadium Chestnut Hill, MA	ESPN	W 19–14	32,071
November 30	7:30 pm	San Diego State*	No. 1	Miami Orange Bowl Miami, FL	ESPN	W 39–12	56,721
January 1	8:00 pm	vs. No. 11 Nebraska*	No. 1	Miami Orange Bowl Miami, FL (Orange Bowl, rivalry)	NBC	W 22–0	77,747
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game All times are in Eastern time

Rankings

1⁄2)1 (37)1 (32)Coaches2 (3)2 (3)2 (3)2 (6)2 (5)2 (3)2 (3)2 (3)2 (4)2 (4)2 (4)2 (4)1 (44)1 (32)2 (30)2 (25 1⁄2)

Game summaries

Arkansas

#3 Miami (FL) at Arkansas

	1	2	3	4	Total
• Hurricanes	7	7	7	10	31
Razorbacks	0	3	0	0	3

Date: August 31
Location: War Memorial Stadium
Game attendance: 46,308

Scoring summary

Q1	MIA	Copeland 99 yard pass from Torretta (Huerta kick)	MIA 7–0

Q2	ARK	Wright 35 yard field goal	MIA 7–3

Q2	MIA	McGuire 11 yard run (Huerta kick)	MIA 14–3

Q3	MIA	Patton 42 yard pass from Torretta (Huerta kick)	MIA 21–3

Q4	MIA	McGuire 1 yard run (Huerta kick)	MIA 28–3

Q4	MIA	Huerta 22 yard field goal	MIA 31–3

^[3]

Houston

^[4]

Tulsa

#2 Miami (FL) at Tulsa

	1	2	3	4	Total
• Hurricanes	0	21	7	6	34
Golden Hurricane	0	3	0	7	10

Date: September 28
Location: Skelly Stadium
Game attendance: 35,689

Scoring summary

Q2	MIA	McGuire 8 yard run (Huerta kick)	MIA 7–0

Q2	MIA	Etheredge 1 yard pass from Torretta (Huerta kick)	MIA 14–0

Q2	MIA	Moore 3 yard pass from Torretta (Huerta kick)	MIA 21–0

Q2	TLSA	Lange 30 yard field goal	MIA 21–3

Q3	MIA	McGuire 4 yard run (Huerta kick)	MIA 28–3

Q4	MIA	Huerta 23 yard field goal	MIA 31–3

Q4	TLSA	Fair 3 yard pass from Rubley (Lange kick)	MIA 31–10

Q4	MIA	Huerta 28 yard field goal	MIA 34–10

Gino Torretta 20/33, 327 Yds
Lamar Thomas 5 Rec, 106 Yds

^[5]

Oklahoma State

Oklahoma State at #2 Miami (FL)

	1	2	3	4	Total
Cowboys	0	0	3	0	3
• Hurricanes	17	13	3	7	40

Date: October 5
Location: Orange Bowl
Game attendance: 42,751

Scoring summary

Q1	MIA	McGuire 7 yard run (Huerta kick)	MIA 7–0

Q1	MIA	Huerta 27 yard field goal	MIA 10–0

Q1	MIA	Thomas 5 yard pass from Torretta (Huerta kick)	MIA 17–0

Q2	MIA	Patton 4 yard run (Huerta kick)	MIA 24–0

Q2	MIA	Patton 2 yard run (kick failed)	MIA 30–0

Q3	MIA	Huerta 29 yard field goal	MIA 33–0

Q3	OKST	Myers 20 yard field goal	MIA 33–3

Q4	MIA	Bennett 22 yard run (Huerta kick)	MIA 40–3

^[6]

Penn State

#9 Penn State at #2 Miami (FL)

	1	2	3	4	Total
Nittany Lions	3	3	7	7	20
• Hurricanes	3	3	14	6	26

Date: October 12
Location: Orange Bowl
Game attendance: 75,723
Television network: ABC

Scoring summary

Q1		MIA	Huerta 24 yard field goal	MIA 3–0

Q1		PSU	Fayak 20 yard field goal	Tie 3–3

Q2		PSU	Fayak 46 yard field goal	PSU 6–3

Q2		MIA	Huerta 45 yard field goal	Tie 6–6

Q3	6:34	MIA	Copeland 80 yard pass from Torretta (Huerta kick)	MIA 13–6

Q3		MIA	K. Williams 91 yard punt return (Huerta kick)	MIA 20–6

Q3		PSU	T. Smith 2 yard pass from Sacca (Fayak kick)	MIA 20–13

Q4		MIA	Thomas 42 yard pass from Torretta (kick failed)	MIA 26–13

Q4		PSU	T. Smith 9 yard pass from Sacca (Fayak kick)	MIA 26–20

First meeting between the two schools since 1987 Fiesta Bowl
Fans watching on television outside of Florida missed two scores when the network switched to United States Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas testifying before the Senate Judiciary Committee
Horace Copeland 5 Rec, 106 Yds

^[7]

Long Beach State

Long Beach State at #2 Miami (FL)

	1	2	3	4	Total
49ers	0	0	0	0	0
• Hurricanes	7	28	7	13	55

Date: October 19
Location: Orange Bowl
Game attendance: 40,498

Scoring summary

Q1	MIA	McGuire 1 yard run (Huerta kick)	MIA 7–0

Q2	MIA	Spencer 8 yard pass from Torretta (Huerta kick)	MIA 14–0

Q2	MIA	McGuire 1 yard run (Huerta kick)	MIA 21–0

Q2	MIA	K. Williams 63 yard punt return (Huerta kick)	MIA 28–0

Q2	MIA	Torretta 1 yard run (Huerta kick)	MIA 35–0

Q3	MIA	Bennett 2 yard run (Huerta kick)	MIA 42–0

Q4	MIA	L. Jones 30 yard run (Huerta kick)	MIA 49–0

Q4	MIA	Marucci 5 yard run (kick failed)	MIA 55–0

^[8]

Arizona

West Virginia

Florida State

#2 Miami (FL) at #1 Florida State

	1	2	3	4	Total
• Hurricanes	7	0	0	10	17
Seminoles	3	7	3	3	16

Date: November 16
Location: Doak Campbell Stadium, Tallahassee, FL
Game start: 12:00 p.m. EST
Game attendance: 63,442
TV announcers (ABC): Keith Jackson and Bob Griese

Scoring summary

1		MIA	Stephen McGuire 2-yard run (Huerta kick)	MIA 7-0
1		FSU	Gerry Thomas 25-yard field goal	MIA 7-3

2		FSU	Paul Moore 1-yard run (Thomas kick)	FSU 10-7

3		FSU	Gerry Thomas 31-yard field goal	Tied 13-7

4		FSU	Gerry Thomas 20-yard field goal	FSU 16-7
	9:48	MIA	Carlos Huerta 45-yard field goal	FSU 16-10
	3:01	MIA	Larry Jones 1-yard run (Huerta kick)	MIA 17-16

Boston College

San Diego State

Vs. Nebraska (Orange Bowl)

#1 Miami (FL) vs. #11 Nebraska

	1	2	3	4	Total
• Hurricanes	13	0	9	0	22
Cornhuskers	0	0	0	0	0

Date: January 1
Location: Orange Bowl, Miami, Florida
Game attendance: 77,747
Referee: Ron Winter (Big Ten)
Television network: NBC

Personnel

Coaching staff

Name	Position	Seasons	Alma Mater
Dennis Erickson	Head coach	3rd	Montana State (1969)
Bob Bratkowski	Offensive coordinator/wide receivers	3rd	Washington State (1978)
Sonny Lubick	Defensive Coordinator/defensive backs	3rd	Western Montana (1960)
Gregg Smith	Offensive line	3rd	Idaho (1969)
Dave Arnold	Special Teams/tight ends	3rd
Bob Karmelowicz	Defensive line	3rd	Bridgeport (1972)
Art Kehoe	Assistant offensive line	7th	Miami (1982)
Ed Orgeron	Defensive line	3rd	Northwestern State (1984)
Tommy Tuberville	Linebackers	3rd	Southern Arkansas (1976)
Alex Wood	Running backs	3rd	Iowa (1978)

Roster

1991 Miami Hurricanes football team roster

Players

Coaches

Offense

Pos.	#	Name	Class
TE	`17`	Coleman Bell	Jr
WR	`88`	Horace Copeland	Jr
TE	`82`	Carlos Etheredge	Jr
OT	`72`	Mario Cristobal	Jr
RB	`30`	Stephen McGuire	Jr
RB	`33`	Russell Sapp	Sr
OT	`73`	Leon Searcy	Sr
WR	`35`	Darryl Spencer	Jr
WR	`36`	Lamar Thomas	Jr
QB	`13`	Gino Torretta	Jr
G	`78`	Kipp Vickers	Jr
WR	`5`	Kevin Williams	So

Defense

Pos.	#	Name	Class
LB	`1`	Jessie Armstead	Jr
LB	`56`	Michael Barrow	Jr
LB	`49`	Robert Bass	Jr
DT	`94`	Dwayne Johnson	Fr
CB	`47`	Ryan McNeil	Jr
DE	`93`	Robert J Davis	So
DL	`41`	Patrick Riley	Fr
LB	`45`	Darrin Smith	Jr
DB	`31`	Darryl Williams	Jr

Special teams

Pos.	#	Name	Class
K	`27`	Carlos Huerta	Sr

Head coach

Dennis Erickson

Coordinators/assistant coaches

Legend

(C) Team captain
(S) Suspended
(I) Ineligible

Injured
Redshirt

Roster

Awards and honors

First Team All-Americans

Leon Searcy, T
Darrin Smith, LB
Darryl Williams, FS
Kevin Williams, KR/PR
Carlos Huerta, K

Award finalists

Bold indicates winners

Darrin Smith, LB - Big East Co-Defensive Player of the Year
Gino Torretta, QB - Big East Offensive Player of the Year
Kevin Williams, KR/PR - Big East Special Teams Player of the Year

• Russell Sapp, RB/KR/PR -Big East Co-Special Teams Player of the Year

Jack Harding University of Miami MVP Award

Carlos Huerta, K

1992 NFL Draft

Player	Position	Round	Pick	Team
Leon Searcy	Tackle	1	11	Pittsburgh Steelers
Darryl Williams	Defensive Back	1	28	Cincinnati Bengals
Craig Erickson	Quarterback	4	86	Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Anthony Hamlet	Defensive end	10	263	Seattle Seahawks
Kelvin Harris	Center	12	312	Los Angeles Rams
Carlos Huerta	Kicker	12	315	San Diego Chargers

^[9]

References

^ "Miami 55 Long Beach St. 0". The Desert Sun. Palm Springs, California. October 20, 1991. p. B-7. Retrieved February 10, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Miami wakes up, tops West Virginia 27–3". The Palm Beach Post. November 10, 1991. Retrieved February 4, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
^ Gainesville Sun. 1991 Sep 01. Retrieved 2017-Jan-01.
^ "Miami bad boys humble Houston in 40-10 win". The Baltimore Sun. September 13, 1991. Retrieved December 29, 2018.
^ "Miami shakes off rust, blasts Tulsa." Gainesville Sun. 1991 Sep 29. Retrieved 2017-Jan-07.
^ "Miami jumps on OSU early." Gainesville Sun. 1991 Oct 6. Retrieved 2017-Jan-08.
^ "With TV distracted, UM whips Penn St." Gainesville Sun. 1991 Oct 13. Retrieved 2017-Jan-14.
^ Gainesville Sun. 1991 Oct 20. Retrieved 2017-Jan-15.
^ "1992 NFL Draft Listing - Pro-Football-Reference.com". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Archived from the original on December 21, 2007.

v t e 1991 Miami Hurricanes football—AP national champions
Jessie Armstead Micheal Barrow Robert Bass Coleman Bell Donnell Bennett Horace Copeland Frank Costa Mario Cristobal Carlos Etheredge Tirrell Greene Carlos Huerta Dwayne Johnson Chris Jones Ryan McNeil Pat Riley Leon Searcy Darryl Spencer Darrin Smith Lamar Thomas Gino Torretta Kipp Vickers Darryl Williams Kevin Williams Head coach: Dennis Erickson Assistant coaches: Dave Arnold Bob Bratkowski Sonny Lubick Jim Michalczik Ed Orgeron Randy Shannon Tommy Tuberville Alex Wood

1991 Miami Hurricanes football—AP national champions

Head coach: Dennis Erickson

Assistant coaches: Dave Arnold
Bob Bratkowski
Sonny Lubick
Jim Michalczik
Ed Orgeron
Randy Shannon
Tommy Tuberville
Alex Wood

v t e Miami Hurricanes football
Venues	Miami Orange Bowl (1937–2007) Hard Rock Stadium (2008–present)
Bowls and rivalries	Bowl games Florida Florida State Nebraska Virginia Tech
Culture and lore	1998 UCLA game 2011 athletics scandal Band of the Hour Catholics vs. Convicts FIU–Miami brawl Florida Cup Hail Flutie Miami 4–3 defense Quarterback U Sebastian the Ibis Whammy in Miami Wide Right I Wide Right II Confusion Bowl 2023 Georgia Tech game
Documentaries	Catholics vs. Convicts The U
People	Head coaches NFL draftees Statistical leaders
Early years (1926 to 1978)	Miami Hurricanes football (1926 to 1978)
Seasons	1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
National championship seasons in bold

v t e College football national champions (poll era)
1936–1949	1936: Minnesota (AP) 1937: Pittsburgh 1938: TCU 1939: Texas A&M 1940: Minnesota 1941: Minnesota 1942: Ohio State 1943: Notre Dame 1944: Army 1945: Army (AP) / Oklahoma A&M (Coaches) 1946: Notre Dame 1947: Notre Dame 1948: Michigan 1949: Notre Dame
1950s	1950: Oklahoma (AP, Coaches) 1951: Tennessee 1952: Michigan State 1953: Maryland 1954: Ohio State (AP) / UCLA (FWAA, Coaches) 1955: Oklahoma 1956: Oklahoma 1957: Auburn (AP) / Ohio State (Coaches, FWAA) 1958: LSU (AP, Coaches) / Iowa (FWAA) 1959: Syracuse (AP, Coaches, FWAA, NFF)
1960s	1960: Minnesota (AP, Coaches, NFF) / Ole Miss (FWAA) 1961: Alabama (AP, Coaches, NFF) / Ohio State (FWAA) 1962: USC 1963: Texas 1964: Alabama (AP, Coaches) / Arkansas (FWAA) / Notre Dame (NFF) 1965: Alabama (AP, FWAA) / Michigan State (Coaches, FWAA, NFF) 1966: Notre Dame (AP, Coaches, FWAA, NFF) / Michigan State (NFF) 1967: USC 1968: Ohio State 1969: Texas
1970s	1970: Nebraska (AP, FWAA) / Texas (NFF, Coaches) / Ohio State (NFF) 1971: Nebraska 1972: USC 1973: Notre Dame (AP, FWAA, NFF) / Alabama (Coaches) 1974: Oklahoma (AP) / USC (FWAA, NFF, Coaches) 1975: Oklahoma 1976: Pittsburgh 1977: Notre Dame 1978: Alabama (AP, FWAA, NFF) / USC (Coaches) 1979: Alabama
1980–1991	1980: Georgia 1981: Clemson 1982: Penn State 1983: Miami (FL) 1984: BYU 1985: Oklahoma 1986: Penn State 1987: Miami (FL) 1988: Notre Dame 1989: Miami (FL) 1990: Colorado (AP, FWAA, NFF, USAT/CNN) / Georgia Tech (Coaches) 1991: Miami (FL) (AP) / Washington (Coaches, FWAA, UPI/NFF)