When someone mentions the Miami Hurricanes, the immediate thought is the crop of legendary players who have graced the football program. From the early 1980s until the early 2000s, the Hurricanes were one of the most dominant teams in the country, with rosters stacked full of Hall of Famers and NFL prospects.
Two of the players who helped set the tone for the program — winning a combined three national championships — will soon be honored in a special way. Quarterbacks Vinny Testaverde and Gino Torretta, Miami’s two Heisman Trophy winners, will have life-sized statues built on the university’s campus.
The project was made possible by a $1.81 million donation from longtime Hurricanes supporter Max Chira.
“As a fan of Miami for the past 57 years, I’ve always felt that our two Heisman Trophy winners deserved a lasting tribute,” Chira said. “This project will not only honor their incredible legacies, but also serve as a powerful recruiting tool for the future of Miami football.”
Vice President and Director of Athletics Dan Radakovich echoed the sentiment.
“We are grateful to Max for his generous support and his vision for honoring our two Heisman Trophy winners,” Radakovich said. “Vinny and Gino are two of our most decorated Hurricanes, and now their legacy will be on display on our campus for generations to come.”
While the statues are a huge honor for Miami and its campus allure, the location of the display unfortunately reinforces one of the program’s biggest issues: the lack of an on-campus stadium.
Miami Hurricanes Are Stuck Playing Without Their Own Stadium
The Hurricanes have never actually had the luxury of a true on-campus stadium. Even during the historic days of the Orange Bowl, the venue sat more than six miles from campus. After the Orange Bowl was demolished following the 2007 season, the Hurricanes relocated to Hard Rock Stadium, which they share with the Miami Dolphins.
Hard Rock Stadium is more than 20 miles away from Coral Gables, forcing students and fans to battle heavy traffic that can stretch close to an hour. While the stadium holds over 65,000 fans, the long commute has often led to low attendance, which in turn has impacted recruiting.
Meanwhile, loanDepot Park, the home of the Miami Marlins, now sits on the site of the old Orange Bowl.
The Orange Bowl had its own attendance issues, but its closer proximity to campus made it more accessible. These days, Miami typically sees a surge in attendance only for marquee matchups — such as when the Hurricanes recently hosted No. 6 Notre Dame on August 31.
Will the Miami Hurricanes Ever Have Their Own Stadium?
If Miami were ever to build its own stadium, it likely still wouldn’t be on campus. The university is tightly tucked into the city of Coral Gables, making available land scarce. Many people wouldn’t even realize the school was there without intentionally looking for it.
Other programs in South Florida, such as Florida Atlantic (FAU) and Florida International (FIU), have on-campus stadiums. Miami Freedom Park, a 25,000-seat soccer-specific venue and the future home of MLS’s Inter Miami CF, is set to open in 2026.
In 2015, then-UM President Donna Shalala floated the idea of the Hurricanes sharing Miami Freedom Park. But the proposal ultimately collapsed over disagreements about seating capacity.
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