Miami Hurricanes football (1926 to 1978)
[4] Under head coach Howard "Cub" Buck, a former NFL player, the freshman team posted a perfect 8–0 record in its inaugural season.
[7] The following year, in 1927, the team adopted the official nickname "Miami Hurricanes", though the exact timing and origin of the name is unclear; some reports suggest it was in reference to the devastating power of the 1926 hurricane that postponed the program's first game by a month, and others that it was suggested by a player in response to rumors that university officials wanted to name the team after local flora or fauna.
After a difficult first year, the Hurricanes put together a winning record in the 1932 season and served as host to the inaugural Palm Festival, later known as the Orange Bowl, defeating Manhattan College 7–0 at Moore Park in Miami.
[15] However, the move was vetoed by President Bowman Foster Ashe, in part because the $7,500 salary that Grange sought was deemed as excessive.
[4] In 1937, the Hurricanes moved into the brand new Burdine Municipal Stadium, renamed the Orange Bowl in 1959, located west of Downtown Miami in Little Havana.
[26] With the score tied 6–6 and only seconds remaining, Holy Cross quarterback Gene DeFilippo was intercepted by Miami's Al Hudson at the 11-yard line.
Harding hired Andy Gustafson as the new head coach, closing out a nine-year tenure in which the Hurricanes registered a 54–29–3 record and won at least eight games in four different seasons.
[28][4] One of Andy Gustafson's major innovations at the University of Miami was the "drive series" offense, an option-oriented attack from the Split-T formation that relied on zone blocking and featured either a fullback fake or carry on every play.
[29][30] Under Gustafson's tutelage, Miami produced its first All-American, Al Carapella, in 1950 and went 9–1–1 in 1951, including a 35–13 win in its first-ever game against rival Florida State and a 15–14 loss to Clemson in the Orange Bowl.
[38] Mira set many of the school's passing records during his four years at the University of Miami, appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated, and finished fifth in the Heisman Trophy voting as a senior.
[4][39][40] Following the season, Gustafson decided to step down as head coach and Charlie Tate, an assistant at Georgia Tech, was hired to replace him.
[46] 1966 brought the arrival of defensive end Ted Hendricks, the only three-time All-American in school history,[47] and the Hurricanes won eight games, earning a trip to the Liberty Bowl, where they defeated No.
[4] In December 1966, the program was integrated when African American wide receiver Ray Bellamy signed a letter of intent to play football at the university.
"[55] The Gators led throughout the game and were up 45–8 when John Reaves threw an interception to the Hurricanes' defense with little time left in the fourth quarter.
[56] But with time winding down and the Hurricanes driving in Florida territory, there was a good chance the Gators offense would not get the ball back.
[48] After finishing 2–8 in 1975[61] and 3–8 in 1976,[62] the university fired Selmer, citing concerns about dwindling attendance and the loss of local blue-chip recruits to other schools.
[4] The Hurricanes won only three games in 1977, but Saban was able to put together a well-regarded recruiting class that included future Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly from East Brady, Pennsylvania.
