Two Miami Hurricanes voted into College Football Hall of Fame Class of 2023
One was an integral part of the University of Miami’s last national championship in 2001.
The other played for the Hurricanes, but will be immortalized for his body of work as a head coach — mostly for the Georgia Bulldogs and finally for the Canes.
Former Hurricanes offensive tackle great Bryant McKinnie; and former longtime Georgia Bulldogs coach Mark Richt, who spent his final three years coaching the Hurricanes, have been elected to the 2023 class of the College Football Hall of Fame — overseen by the National Football Foundation.
McKinnie is the 10th former UM player to be elected to the College Hall. Richt is the fifth UM coach and 15th Hurricane overall.
The other nine players: linebacker Dan Morgan as well as legends Ted Hendricks, Don Bosseler, Arnold Tucker, Bennie Blades, Gino Torretta, Russell Maryland, Vinny Testaverde and Ed Reed.
The other UM coaches in the College Hall: Dennis Erickson, Andy Gustafson, Jack Harding and Jimmy Johnson.
McKinnie, 42, a first-round pick (seventh overall) by the Minnesota Vikings, did not allow a sack his entire Hurricanes career. The 6-8, 350-pound giant of a player, from Woodbury, New Jersey, came to UM in 1999 out of Lackawanna Junior College, and spent the season as a scout team player. He was UM quarterback Ken Dorsey’s superb bodyguard in 2000 and 2001, winning the ‘01 Outland Trophy as college football’s top interior lineman. He was a consensus first-team All-American by every national service in 2001, including the Associated Press, Football Writers Association, The Football News, Walter Camp and National Football Foundation.
Richt, 62, was the head coach at Georgia — now No. 1 and in Monday night’s College Football Playoff National Championship against TCU — for 15 years and ended his coaching career from 2016 through 2018 with the Hurricanes. In 2017, he led UM to a No. 2 ranking with 10 consecutive wins, before the Canes lost their last three games. He is now an analyst for the ACC Network.
“Very humbling to be included in the 2023 College Football Hall of Fame class!” Richt posted on Twitter. “Thank you to all of my assistant coaches, players, support staff, administration, and family but most of all my wife Katharyn! Thank you Lord!”
Richt has a 171-64 overall record as a head coach. He won Southeastern Conference titles with Georgia in 2002 and 2005, five SEC Eastern Division titles and the 2017 Atlantic Coast Conference Coastal Division title. He was born in Omaha, Nebraska but came to South Florida in the 1970s, when he competed for Boca Raton High. He went on to play quarterback at UM from 1978 to 1982, mostly as a backup to the great Jim Kelly.
Richt also is responsible for spearheading the campaign to build UM’s Carol Soffer Indoor Practice Facility.
The 18 First Team All-America players and four standout coaches in the 2023 Class were selected from the national ballot of 80 players and nine coaches from the Football Bowl Subdivision and 96 players and 33 coaches from the divisional ranks, according to the National Football Foundation.
The 2023 College Football Hall of Fame Class will officially be inducted during the 65th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas on Dec. 5, 2023, at the ARIA Resort & Casino Las Vegas.
2023 HALL OF FAME PLAYERS:
- Eric Berry – DB, Tennessee (2007-09)
- Michael Bishop – QB, Kansas State (1997-98)
- Reggie Bush – RB, Southern California (2003-05)
- Dwight Freeney – DE, Syracuse (1998-2001)
- Robert Gallery – OT, Iowa (2000-03)
- LaMichael James – RB, Oregon (2009-11)
- Derrick Johnson – LB, Texas (2001-04)
- Bill Kollar – DT, Montana State (1971-73)
- Luke Kuechly – LB, Boston College (2009-11)
- Jeremy Maclin – WR/KR, Missouri (2007-08)
- Terance Mathis – WR, New Mexico (1985-87, 1989)
- Bryant McKinnie – OT, Miami [FL] (2000-01)
- Corey Moore – DL, Virginia Tech (1997-99)
- Michael Stonebreaker – LB, Notre Dame (1986, 1988, 1990)
- Tim Tebow – QB, Florida (2006-09)
- Troy Vincent – DB, Wisconsin (1988-91)
- Brian Westbrook – RB, Villanova (1997-98, 2000-01)
- DeAngelo Williams – RB, Memphis (2002-05)
2023 HALL OF FAME COACHES:
- Monte Cater – 275-117-2 (70.1%); Lakeland [WI] (1981-86), Shepherd [WV] (1987-2017)
- Paul Johnson – 189-99-0 (65.6%); Georgia Southern (1997-2001), Navy (2002-07), Georgia Tech (2008-18)
- Roy Kramer – 83-32-2 (71.8%); Central Michigan (1967-77)
- Mark Richt – 171-64-0 (72.8%); Georgia (2001-15), Miami [FL] (2016-18)
New Hurricanes transfers
The Canes have secured pledges from two talented transfers in the past two days: Purdue defensive tackle Branson Deen and UCF center Matt Lee.
Deen, a graduate transfer, announced his commitment on Monday evening. Lee announced Sunday.
Deen, 6-2 and 290 pounds, had 28 tackles, four tackles for loss and 2 1/2 sacks this past season. He had 26 tackles, three sacks and a forced fumble in 2021 as an All-Big Ten honorable mention. He chose UM over Arizona State.
The addition of Deen is especially important after UM starting defensive tackle Darrell Jackson announced he’s transferring to Florida State.
UCF center Matt Lee, a three-year starter for the Knights, is from Ovieda and graduated from Hagerty High. 247Sports had him as the top available lineman in the transfer portal rankings, and the No. 68 overall player among the transfers. He graded third overall in the nation this past season, per Pro Football Focus, and will compete with UM veteran Jakai Clark for the starting job.
This story was originally published January 9, 2023 at 4:10 PM.
