Former UM star Gino Torretta chosen for college Hall

University of Miami football great Gino Torretta had two of his biggest thrills Thursday in New York, as he was named one of the newest members of the College Football Hall of Fame and then got to officially open the NASDAQ stock market in Times Square.

Torretta, 38, is a former quarterback who led the Hurricanes to the 1991 national championship and won the Heisman Trophy -- college football's most coveted award -- in 1992. He is one of UM's most decorated football players, having won in 1992 the Maxwell Award (best overall player), Davey O'Brien Award (top quarterback) and Unitas Award (top senior quarterback). He also was a consensus All-American that year.

At 9:30 a.m. Thursday, Torretta -- flanked by National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame president and CEO Steve Hatchell and NASDAQ senior vice president Bob McCooey -- rang the NASDAQ stock market's opening bell in New York.

''It's a great honor to be here and to represent the University of Miami being the fourth inductee into the College Football Hall of Fame,'' Torretta said moments before signaling the start of the NASDAQ trading. ``Hopefully we have a few more in years to come.

``I want to thank all my teammates, my family and obviously all the coaches I had from Pop Warner all the way up. Thank you.''

Torretta finished his Miami career with 11 school passing records. He threw for 7,690 yards from 1989 through 1992. He lives in Coral Gables with his wife and 4-year-old daughter. He is the CEO of Touchdown Radio, a company that syndicates a college football game every week for national radio. He also is vice president for Institutional Sales with Gabelli Asset Management.

''It's pretty awesome,'' he said by phone after opening the market. ``Obviously with my background in finance, to ring the bell for NASDAQ is a pretty neat experience. You remember all your hard work over so many years. I've gotten some text messages from friends and family and [UM] president [Donna] Shalala called to congratulate me a few minutes after they rang the bell.''

UM head football coach Randy Shannon said in a statement released on the Hurricanes' website, ``This is a great honor for Gino. He contributed so much to the University of Miami football program as a student-athlete. He was a Heisman Trophy winner and a member of our 1989 and 1991 National Champion teams. He's one of the great players in Hurricane football history, and we appreciate The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame for recognizing him.''

The other UM players in the College Football Hall of Fame are running back Don Bosseler, defensive end Ted Hendricks and safety Bennie Blades. Former UM coaches Jack Harding and Andy Gustafson also are in the college Hall.

In addition to Torretta, the other new Hall players announced Thursday live on ESPNEWS television: Pervis Atkins, HB, New Mexico State (1958-60); Tim Brown, WR, Notre Dame (1984-87); Chuck Cecil, DB, Arizona (1984-87); Ed Dyas, FB, Auburn (1958-60); Major Harris, QB, West Virginia (1987-89); Gordon Hudson, TE, Brigham Young (1980-83); William Lewis, C, Harvard (1892-93); Woodrow Lowe, LB, Alabama (1972-75); Ken Margerum, WR, Stanford (1977-80); Steve McMichael, DT, Texas (1976-79); Chris Spielman, LB, Ohio State (1984-87); Larry Station, LB, Iowa (1982-85); Pat Swilling, DE, Georgia Tech (1982-85); Curt Warner, RB, Penn State (1979-82); and Grant Wistrom, DE, Nebraska (1994-97).

The new coaches announced Thursday were Dick MacPherson of Massachusetts and Syracuse; and John Robinson of Southern Cal and Nevada-Las Vegas.

Last November, Torretta also became one of five UM football greats announced as the newest members of the Ring of Honor during halftime of the game against Virginia Tech.

(miamiherald.com)