Miami Hurricanes to Discontinue Turnover Chain
One of the most popular traditions in college football has ended, as Miami head coach Mario Cristobal announced on Wednesday the termination of UM's infamous "Turnover Chain".
"It's not part of our culture," Cristobal told Brett McMurphy regarding the decision to stop using the chain.
The Turnover Chain made its first appearance in Miami's 2017 season-opener against Bethune-Cookman when freshman cornerback Malek Young sported the 36-inch, 2.5-kilogram, 10-karat gold chain, highlighted by 900 green and orange sapphire stones molded into a "U".
Baller. pic.twitter.com/RxM7SBwnv5
— Miami Hurricanes Football (@CanesFootball) September 2, 2017
This post-forced turnover celebration took the college football world by storm, as the Hurricanes routinely wore this chain on their way to a 10-0 start and a No. 2 slot in the College Football Playoff Rankings.
"I was like, 'That's the most enormous, gaudy thing I've seen in my entire life,'" Joel Rodriguez, Miami's director of player development in 2017, told ESPN's Andrea Adelson about the chain. "But it's supposed to be larger than life. That's what it's for."
Then-Miami defensive coordinator Manny Diaz was credited with the inception of the chain as a way of motivating the Hurricanes' defense. His plan seemed to work, as in 2017, UM forced 2.4 turnovers per game, good for third in the country.
"[Diaz] told us this morning about the turnover chain," sophomore linebacker Shaquille Quarterman said after Miami's 2017 win against the Wildcats. "It goes to whoever gets the turnover. You get to rock that huge Miami-style chain ... it was just another incentive."
The chain continued to live on throughout Diaz's coordinating and then head coaching tenure at Miami, but the celebration started to lose its luster.
Since its 10-0 start in 2017, the Hurricanes have stumbled to a disappointing record of 28-24, and the use of the jewelry has faced scrutiny, especially when UM is losing by a wide margin.
Miami brought the turnover chain out while down 27-0 to Alabama, and then put it back in storage after the call was overturned 😬 pic.twitter.com/lIQT0RSnij
— The Sporting News (@sportingnews) September 4, 2021
Miami's football program has undergone a lot of alterations since Diaz's departure in December 2021, with the dismissal of the Turnover Chain now being a part of that change.
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Luke Chaney is a contributing writer for Sports Illustrated-FanNation's AllHurricanes.com, covering recruiting and Miami Athletics. You can also find Luke on WVUM 90.5 FM as a play-by-play broadcaster. He is also the Sports Editor for The Miami Hurricane. Follow Luke on Twitter @luke_chaney4.