University of Miami

Gino Torretta became the second Miami quarterback to win the Heisman while leading his team to an undefeated regular season.

Heisman Winner

Gino Torretta

QB | RS Senior | University of Miami

Torretta became the second Miami quarterback to win the Heisman while leading his team to an undefeated regular season.

The 6-3, 205-pounder was one of the most celebrated athletes in Hurricane history.

Torretta was born in Pinole, Calif., and starred for the Pinole High football team as a senior in 1987. He joined the Miami football program the following season and, after redshirting, he was a timely contributor to the 1989 national title team, throwing for 1,325 yards and eight touchdowns in relief of the injured Craig Erickson. His big highlight was a school-record 485 passing yards against San Diego State. He was less productive as a sophomore, throwing for 210 yards as a reserve, but he won the starting job in 1991 and proceeded to lead Miami to its fourth national title in nine season. Torretta had 3,095 yards and 20 touchdowns as the ‘Canes went 12-0.

He entered the 1992 season as one of the favorites for the Heisman and he did not disappoint. Torretta threw for 3,070 yards and 19 touchdowns to once again lead Miami to an undefeated regular season. When he was awarded the Heisman over Marshall Faulk, the ‘Canes were sitting on 29-straight wins — 23 of them with Torretta as the starter. Torretta also won the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, the Maxwell Trophy and the Davey O’Brien national quarterback awards.

He finished his Miami career with eleven school passing records, including career attempts (991), completions (555), yards (7,690), total offense (7,772), longest pass (99 yards to Horace Copeland vs. Arkansas, an NCAA record) and most passing yards in a game (485 vs. San Diego State).

Torretta has long worked as a color commentator for collegiate and professional football games, and is currently a host on the South Eastern College Football Today Show on CSS. Among his charitable works, he hosts the Gino Torretta Celebrity Blue Tee Weekend benefiting The Torretta Foundation, which aims to find a cure for ALS and Myasthenia Gravis.

He is also a Past-President of the National University of Miami Alumni Association, a member of the Orange Bowl Committee, and in 2008 was inducted into the University of Miami’s Ring of Honor. Torretta was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2009.

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Heisman Voting Results

Number of electors: 918 - Announced: December 12, 1992.

 PlayerClassPositionSchool1st2nd3rdTotal Points
1Gino TorrettaRS SRQBMiami (Fla.)3101791121400
2Marshall FaulkSORBSan Diego State1642071741080
3Garrison HearstJRRBGeorgia140196170982
4Marvin JonesJRLBFlorida State815147392
5Reggie BrooksSRRBNotre Dame425362294
6Charlie WardJRQBFlorida State181836126
7Michael BarrowSRLBMiami (Fla.)10101464
8Drew BledsoeJRQBWashington State6181448
9Glyn MilburnSRRBStanford5111047
10Eric CurrySRDEAlabama3131247

Three points are awarded for first place on a ballot, with two points for second place and one point for third place.

Heisman Voting By Region

Heisman voters are spread out across six regions, with roughly 145 per region.

South

 PlayerPoints
1Garrison Hearst252
2Gino Torretta220
3Marshall Faulk131

Northeast

 PlayerPoints
1Gino Torretta235
2Marshall Faulk172
3Garrison Hearst125

Mid-Atlantic

 PlayerPoints
1Gino Torretta271
2Garrison Hearst155
3Marshall Faulk143

Midwest

 PlayerPoints
1Gino Torretta248
2Marshall Faulk158
3Garrison Hearst126

Southwest

 PlayerPoints
1Gino Torretta220
2Marshall Faulk190
3Garrison Hearst175

Far West

 PlayerPoints
1Marshall Faulk286
2Gino Torretta206
3Garrison Hearst149

Statistics

Gino Torretta’s Heisman Year Statistics

DateOpponentResultAttCompPct.YdsYPATDIntRatingRushesYdsYPCTDPlaysTotal OffYPPTotal TDs
9/5/92at IowaW 24-7513160.74338.520145.046183.000574517.912
9/19/92Florida A&MW 38-0221254.51707.720149.45000.000221707.722
9/26/92ArizonaW 8-7462656.52896.311112.125-19-3.800512705.291
10/3/92#2 Florida StateW 19-16482041.62525.32195.356223.660542745.072
10/10/92at #24 Penn StateW 17-14311135.4802.60057.163-10-3.33034702.050
10/17/92TCUW 45-10352057.135010.031163.712-4-2.000373469.353
10/24/92at Virginia TechW 43-23281760.72498.930170.77393.000312588.323
10/31/92West VirginiaW 35-23402870.03639.130170.983-28-9.330433357.793
11/14/92TempleW 48-0231669.523110.020182.63221.000252339.322
11/21/92at #6 SyracuseW 16-10432865.13438.003118.173-10-3.330463337.230
11/28/92at San Diego StateW 63-17351954.23108.910138.111-4-4.000363068.501
Heisman StatsAP #111-040222856.730707.6196133.4834-24-0.70043630466.9819
1/1/93+ #1 AlabamaL 13-34562442.82684.80372.34510.200612694.400
Totals11-1, #3 in both polls45825255.033387.3199126.0039-23-0.58049733156.6719

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