Ghosts of the Orange Bowl: Melvin Bratton

(Top) Melvin Bratton in action against Oklahoma in the 1988 Orange Bowl Classic. (Bottom) Bratton leaps over a pile linemen against Florida State in 1987

It's been said you only get one chance to make a good first impression. On November 23, 1984, University of Miami freshman running back Melvin Bratton made a spectacular debut in his first college start. Playing in place of the injured Alonzo Highsmith, Bratton gained 134 yards and scored 4 touchdowns. Unfortunately nobody remembers what Bratton accomplished that rainy afternoon in the Orange Bowl. That's because in the very same game Boston College's Doug Flutie completed a hail mary pass that would become the most replayed moment in college football history. Boston College won the game 47-45 and Bratton's heroics would be just a small footnote.

Bratton's debut was just the beginning of what would become an outstanding college career. From 1984 through 1987 Bratton rushed for 1,371 yards, gained 1084 yards receiving and scored a then school record 32 touchdowns in his career with the Canes. He is the only running back in University of Miami history to gain over 1,000 yards rushing and receiving in his career. He played a major role in the emergence of one of college football's great dynasties. The Hurricanes were 41-8 and won the 1987 national championship in Bratton's UM playing career. In his final college game, he tied a then Orange Bowl Classic record with 9 catches against Oklahoma and was named offensive MVP of the game.

Growing up in Miami's tough Liberty City neighborhood, the Orange Bowl had always been a big part of Bratton's life and football development. He attended many Dolphin and Hurricane games as a kid. He also played in the Orange Bowl for Northwestern High School in its annual "Soul Bowl" game against rival Jackson High School. Greatness was always expected of Bratton from the time he graduated from Northwestern High in 1983. He was the most highly recruited running back in Florida, earning All American honors by Parade and Scholastic Coach magazines. The Miami Herald rated Bratton as the second best high school player in Florida behind his future teammate and fellow Miamian Alonzo Highsmith of Columbus High School. As good as he was on the football field, he was just as spectacular in track and field. Bratton was a two-time state champion in the long jump and one of the state's fastest sprinters.

Virtually every major college football program wanted his services. He once took a recruiting trip to Ann Arbor, Michigan, but forgot to bring any winter clothing. It snowed during the entire visit and the chilling temperatures were enough for Bratton to realize Michigan wasn't the place for him. During his senior year at Northwestern High, he became close friends with Highsmith. The two high school phenoms decided they would attend the same college together. In February 1983, Bratton, Highsmith and Northwestern High defensive back Tommy Streeter held a signing day ceremony at a McDonald's restaurant located across the street from Tropical Park. The three players chose the McDonald's because it was where they originally met as friends. Bratton and Highsmith signed their letters of intent to attend the University of Miami. Streeter was expected to join them. But instead, Streeter decided to sign with Colorado. (Streeter's son, Tommy Jr., is currently a freshman receiver at Miami) With Streeter choosing Colorado, Miami head coach Howard Schnellenberger had one leftover scholarship to give. He decided to give it to Bratton's Northwestern teammate Tolbert Bain.

Bratton and Highsmith were the jewels of the 1983 Hurricane recruiting class that would forever change the attitude of the program. This recruiting class included names like Jerome Brown, Winston Moss, Brian Blades, Daniel Stubbs, George Mira Jr, Darrell Fullington, Warren Williams and Gregg Rakoczy. Many of these players came from South Florida's inner city community and brought a new style of football to UM. It was called "swagger". They were not only athletic. But they played the game with and extreme blend of emotion, cockiness, brashness and loved to talk a lot of trash and dance in the end zone. Good, bad or indifferent, they changed the face of Hurricane football.

Due to an abundance of experienced running backs which included Albert Bentley and Keith Griffin, Bratton sat out the 1983 season and redshirted. The Hurricanes went on to win their first national championship with a shocking upset of top ranked Nebraska in the 1984 Orange Bowl. Bratton's buddy Alonzo Highsmith made the switch from linebacker to running back and scored a touchdown in the game. When Howard Schnellenberger left UM in 1984, Bratton had to prove himself again to new head coach Jimmy Johnson.

Jimmy Johnson was the right coach at the right time. He was a pyschology major at the University of Arkansas and he embraced the attitude of the new breed of Miami players. The Hurricanes became known for their bad boy image and Johnson embraced it. Johnson adopted an "us against the world" mentality and the players loved him, particularly the inner city players like Bratton.

His debut against Boston College established Bratton as one of Miami's most explosive players. On one play, he took a pitchout from quarterback Bernie Kosar and darted to his right, made two tacklers miss and then cut completely across the field, outrunning three Boston College defensive backs, who had an angle, all the way to the end zone. It was one of the most spectacular runs in UM history. The play was credited as a 52 yard run. But in actuality, Bratton ran close to 100 yards to get to the end zone. And when he wasn't running by BC defenders, he was jumping over them. Bratton scored two of his touchdowns in the Boston College game on goal line dives. He would launch his body high in the air, flying over a pile of linemen. It was a move he learned from watching Walter Payton and Herschel Walker. Bratton's leaps were almost unstoppable and made him nearly automatic on short yardage and goal line situations.

In 1985, he rotated with Highsmith and Warren Williams to form a formidable trio of running backs. The Hurricanes had a pro-style passing game. Perhaps Bratton's best skill was his ability to catch the football out of the backfield. Offensive coordinator Gary Stevens would design plays to utilize Bratton's receiving prowess. Stevens would often have Bratton run wheel routes out of the backfield or even split him out as a receiver and run take-off patterns. Bratton presented huge mismatch problems for defenses. Linebackers could not keep up with his speed and defensive backs were not strong enough to bring him down in the open field.

One example was the 1987 game against Florida State. Trailing 19-3 in Tallahassee, the Canes offense was struggling badly. Quarterback Steve Walsh was on the verge of getting benched and Jimmy Johnson was ready to ask true freshman Craig Erickson to warm up. Late in the third quarter, Walsh threw a short pass over the middle to Bratton, who then made a linebacker miss and then raced 40 yards past the entire FSU secondary to the end zone. This play changed the entire momentum of the game. Walsh quickly gained confidence and threw a pair of touchdown passes to Michael Irvin in the fourth quarter and the Canes came from behind to beat FSU 26-25.

But Bratton's shining moment was his final college game in the 1988 Orange Bowl Classic against Oklahoma. Both teams were undefeated and the national championship was on the line. During Miami's opening possession, Walsh fired a deep pass down the sidelines to a streaking Bratton, who made an over-the-shoulder catch in the end zone for the first score of the game. Oklahoma's defense was so concerned with trying to cover Michael Irvin and Brian Blades, they had no answer for Bratton out of the backfield. He caught 9 passes and the Hurricanes won the national championship 20-14.

Unfortunatley the 1988 Orange Bowl Classic was also Bratton's darkest moment. Early in the fourth quarter, Bratton caught a short pass near the Oklahoma sidelines. When he was tackled, his left knee buckled and was completed shreaded, tearing all the major ligaments. Prior to the injury, Bratton was considered a sure future NFL first round draft choice. But those dreams looked over.

The Miami Dolphins drafted Bratton in the sixth round of the 1988 NFL Draft. But Bratton and his agent wanted first round money. With a damaged knee that still needed rehabilitation, the Dolphins were not going to give Bratton the money he requested. Bratton sat out the entire 1988 season and re-entered the draft in 1989. This time he was taken by the Denver Broncos in the 7th round. With his knee finally repaired, Bratton signed with the Broncos and played two seasons in Denver. But he never regained the same quickness and explosion he possessed before the injury. He carried the ball only 57 times for 190 yards scoring 8 career touchdowns. He started for the Broncos as a fullback in Super Bowl XXIV. By 1991, he released by the Denver and then cut in training camp by the Falcons. His football career was over.

Since his playing days, Bratton has continued to stay in touch with the game. He and former high school and college teammate Tolbert Bain started a company together making throwback college football jerseys. He is currently pursuing a career as a sports agent.

Ghosts of the Orange Bowl: Joe Auer

In the 46-year history of the Miami Dolphins, Joe Auer holds a special distinction that can never be erased from the record books. He scored the first touchdown in franchise history. But if you thought it was his only heroics at the Orange Bowl, you don't know Joe Auer.

On September 2, 1966 the Dolphins played their first game as an expansion team in the American Football League. The opponent was the Oakland Raiders and only 26,276 fans showed up on a humid evening at the Orange Bowl. Miami's Joe Auer fielded the opening kickoff and raced 95 yards for a touchdown. The Dolphins lost the game 23-14. But the only thing people will remember is Auer's touchdown.

As the years have gone by, Auer's legend has grown. If you saw him walking down the street, you may not recognize the 70-year-old Auer. But once people find out who he is, he hears the stories of his touchdown all the time. Auer once joked how hundreds of times people have approached him who claimed they were at the Orange Bowl that night. He said he must have heard from more people about that game than who actually attended. You would have thought the Orange Bowl was packed with 70,000 people.

The 1966 Dolphins were a ragtag bunch made of journeymen, rejects, misfits and unqualified rookies. Auer was the Dolphins best player, leading the team in rushing with 414 yards and scoring with 9 touchdowns. He was named team MVP on a squad that finished in last place with a 3-11 record. The roster was filled with colorful characters including linebacker Wahoo McDaniel, a full-blooded native American who later became more well known as a professional wrestler. Fullback Cookie Gilchrist had been an All-AFL player with the Buffalo Bills, but was well past his prime by the time he played for Miami. The team was coached by George Wilson whose son, George Jr., was also the Dolphins starting quarterback. The Dolphins were so low on the pro football totem pole, they couldn't even sign their first round draft pick Jim Grabowski, a fullback from the University of Illinois. Only two members of the entire 1966 team would survive long enough to see the Dolphins reach Super Bowl glory in the early 1970s--offensive lineman Norm Evans and receiver Howard Twilley.

Eight years before Auer ever suited up for the Dolphins, he was a schoolboy hero at Coral Gables High School. During his senior year in 1958, he was member of a state championship team at Coral Gables coached by Nick Kotys. The Miami Herald named Auer to its All City Team as a defensive back. His most memorable high school moment came in the big rivalry game against Miami High in the Orange Bowl. He returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown and Coral Gables beat the Stingarees 13-12. Auer played in an era when high school football was the biggest event in town. He sometimes played in front of larger crowds at the Orange Bowl in high school than he did with the Dolphins.

After graduating from high school, Auer went on to a fine college career at Georgia Tech while playing for another legendary coach Bobby Dodd. He played two seasons with the Buffalo Bills in the AFL before joining the Dolphins in 1966. He finished his pro career with the Atlanta Falcons in 1968. During his two seasons with the Dolphins, Auer achieved another interesting trivial distinction. He caught the first touchdown pass thrown by rookie Bob Griese in 1967 in a victory of the Denver Broncos at the Orange Bowl.

When his football career ended, Auer felt he needed something to keep his competitive juices flowing. Auer had earned his degree at Georgia Tech in mechanical engineering and he was ready to put it to use. He had always been a fan of auto racing and cars in general. He founded his own company called Racecar Engineering which built race cars that would set many track records in NASCAR and other forms of racing. Auer later founded another company called Competitive Edge Motorsports which produced cars that competed in the Busch and Nextel series in NASCAR. Today he is the president of International Computer Negotiations.

Ghosts of the Orange Bowl: Nick Kotys

Coral Gables High School coach Nick Kotys gets a victory ride from this players after winning the state title in 1967

During the 1930s through the mid 1960s, high school football was king in Miami. The University of Miami had yet to become a national power and the Miami Dolphins didn't exist. It wasn't unusual to see crowds of 30,000 to over 40,000 pack the Orange Bowl for big high school games. Schools like Miami High, Edison and Jackson were among the best in the state and in the nation. But no coach casted a bigger shadow over the local high school scene than Nick Kotys of Coral Gables. From 1952 through 1971, Kotys' Coral Gables Cavaliers were the gold standard of high school football, winning 6 state titles including 4 mythical national championships. He was Dade County's winningest coach with a record of 160-33-9.

A native of Pennsylvania and a graduate of Villanova University, Kotys had already been a successful high school coach in Eastern Pennsylvania. He coached 13 years in the Keystone State at three different high schools, sporting a record of 98 wins, 24 losses and 7 ties. But like any successful and ambitious coach, Kotys wanted to take his talents to the next level. He became the offensive coordinator and offensive backfield coach at Yale University under head coach Herman Hickman. But something was missing. College coaching didn't satisfy his love for the game. Kotys missed high school football. He loved molding young men and missed the teaching aspect of the profession.

In 1952, he decided to move to South Florida and became the head football coach and athletic director at Coral Gables High School. At the time, Coral Gables never had a winning season. The school's football program was considered a doormat for bigger bullies like Miami High and Edison. When Kotys took the job, many told him he was crazy and should have stayed at Yale. The first thing Kotys noticed was the dominance of Miami High. The Stingarees were the best program in Florida at the time and at one point went 26 years without losing a game to a Dade County school. Kotys was determined to change the face of Dade County football and it didn't take him very long. By his third season in 1954, Coral Gables played Miami High to a 14-14 tie in the Orange Bowl. The program was getting better every year and in 1956 it finally reached superpower status. Gables would go undefeated during the 1956 season which included resounding wins over Edison and Miami High. The Cavaliers were voted state champions by all the sportswriter polls. Two years later in 1958, Gables once again was voted state champion. (Prior to 1963, state champions were determined by polls. The FHSAA adopted the playoff system in 1963)

So how did Kotys turn Coral Gables into a juggernaut so quickly? One of the first things Kotys did was to make full use of the student body. Every boy at Coral Gables High School was invited and encouraged to play football. Kotys believed in strength in numbers and creating a culture where football mattered and school pride was important. He never cut a player unless the young man was unable to maintain decent grades or broke team rules. Coral Gables often fielded teams with over 100 players on its roster. While not every player was athletic enough to play, Kotys made sure each kid had a role in practice. He believed in developing self esteem and a family atmosphere. It became an honor to wear the blood-red jersey and silver helmet of Coral Gables.

By the 1960s, Coral Gables had overtaken Miami High to become the best high school football program in Florida and earned national respect. When the FHSAA adopted a playoff system 1963 to dertermine state champions, Kotys' Gables teams won the first two state titles. His 1963 and 1964 teams were led by a skinny quarterback named Larry Rentz. When Rentz wasn't scoring or throwing touchdown passes, he was intercepting passes as a defensive back. At 6'1 and just 145 pounds, Rentz was built like a rubber band and was the most unlikely looking football player ever seen. But when Coral Gables defeated Jacksonville's Robert E. Lee 14-7 in the 1964 state championship game played at the Orange Bowl, Miami Herald writer Neil Amdur coined the headline "No Defense for Larry Rentz" . Rentz was named Prep All American by Scholastic Coach Magazine and Coral Gables was voted national champion by the Minneapolis-based National Sports News Service.

Gables once again won back-to-back state titles in 1967 and 1968. Those teams were among the first to include black athletes, including the entire starting backfield consisting of quarterback Craig Curry along with running backs Bertram Taylor and Gerald Tinker. The 1967 team featured a savage defense that shut out 9 of its 13 opponents. Kotys would later say the 1967 squad was the best team he ever coached. In 2007 the FHSAA voted the 1967 Cavaliers as the best high school team in Florida history.

The Orange Bowl was the scene of many of Kotys biggest triumphs and losses. The rivalry with Miami High routinely drew over 30,000 fans every year from the late 1950s through 1967. The 1965 game between Coral Gables and Miami High drew more than 47,000 people--the largest crowd to ever watch a high school football in Florida history. The 1966 and 1967 games against Miami High actually outdrew many University of Miami and Dolphins games at the Orange Bowl.

The 1960s also brought many changes to Dade County. The Castro Revolution led to a huge influx of Cubans to South Florida and the civil rights movement helped bring integration. Kotys adjusted well to the times. In 1966 all-black Carver High School in Coconut Grove became a middle school and its high school students integrated with Coral Gables High. Kotys once set up a table and a loudspeaker outside Carver High to welcome kids to Coral Gables High. Kotys never played favorites when it came to his players. The best player would start no matter what skin color. In 1967 he made the decision to promote Carver transfer Craig Curry as his starting quarterback. Curry went on to become All-State and later was an All Big 10 quarterback at the University of Minnesota. In 1972, Curry was a late round draft choice by the Miami Dolphins. He is today the athletic director at the University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff.

But there were also changes in the 1960s that Kotys did not embrace. The 60s were a turbulant time with the Vietnam War raging on and the growing counterculture of young people experimenting with drugs. Kotys made it clear he was troubled with the trend. He ruled his football team as a dictatorship and he didn't like the new generation's desire to question authority. He made it clear that none of his players were allowed to grow their hair long or have any facial hair. All players were required to wear dress shirts and ties to school on gameday. His philosophy was when you played for Coral Gables High, you represent yourself with class.

Kotys didn't win games on coaching alone. He had some of the finest talent to ever play the sport in Dade County. His 1970 team had 4 future NFL players: Glenn Cameron, Neal Colzie, Ralph Ortega and Gary Dunn. His 1958 state championship team included running back Joe Auer, who would later score the first touchdown in Miami Dolphins history. His 1967 state championship team had two prep All Americans on defense. That same team also had running back Gerald Tinker, who later became an Olympic gold medalist as a member of the United States 4x100 relay team in 1972. College coaches were frequent visitors to the Coral Gables campus trying to recruit many of Kotys players. Kotys was particularly fond of Ohio State's Woody Hayes, whom he struck up a long friendship.

Nick Kotys retired from coaching in 1972. But he is still synonomous with Coral Gables High School. Perhaps no football coach in Dade County history ever meant more to his school. Even if you didn't play football at Coral Gables, you felt his pressence. He was known for his fiery and passionate speeches during school pep rallies. He was so loud, he didn't need a microphone to be heard. In 1988 the Kiwanis Club of Coral Gables established the Nick Kotys Award, given annually to best high school football player in Dade County. Coincidently, the only player to win the Kotys Award twice was current 49ers running back Frank Gore. It's only fitting Gore graduated from Coral Gables High. Kotys was inducted into the Florida Sports Hall of Fame and was named by the FHSAA as one of the greatest coaches in state history.

Kotys passed away in 2005 at the age of 92. He had been living in a retirement home in Columbus, Ohio. Shortly after his passing, a memorial was held at Coral Gables High School that drew a large crowd. It had been almost 40 years since Kotys roamed the sidelines. But he has never been forgotten in Coral Gables.

Notable Coral Gables players coached by Nick Kotys

Mike Harrison - Class of 1957
Billy Williamson - Class of 1958
Ted Saussele - Class of 1959
Frank Lasky - Class of 1959
Joe Auer - Class of 1959
Bruce Fischer - Class of 1961
Jack Card - Class of 1964
Larry Rentz - Class of 1965
Tommy Warren - Class of 1966
Craig Curry - Class of 1968
Paul Johnstone - Class of 1968
Gerald Tinker - Class of 1969
John Clifford - Class of 1969
Roger Peace - Class of 1969
Mitch Berger - Class of 1970
Glenn Cameron - Class of 1971
Ralph Ortega - Class of 1971
Neal Colzie - Class of 1971
Gary Dunn - Class of 1972

Ghosts of the Orange Bowl: Jake Scott

There have been 40 MVPs in the history of the Super Bowl. But Jake Scott is the only one to win the award to complete an undefeated season. He may be the most underappreciated Miami Dolphin player of all time. Long before Dan Marino wore the #13 jersey, that number belonged to Scott. But that's where the similarties to Marino end. You won't find him in the hall of fame. You don't see his name in the team's Ring of Honor. But that's the way Jake Scott would prefer it-- a true anti football superstar who rarely did interviews and shunned the spotlight. He could care less what anybody thinks of him and he's at peace with it. What can't be ignored are his accomplishments and they are impressive.

From 1970 through 1975, Jake Scott played strong safety for the Dolphins and was one of the most feared, talented and mysterious players to wear the aqua and orange. He was a master thief in the Dolphins secondary, intercepting 35 passes in just 6 seasons. His interception totals are still a Miami Dolphins team record. Scott along with Dick Anderson were considered the NFL's best pair of safeties in the early 1970s. Quarterbacks knew completing a pass against the Dolphins was a tough task and Scott had the ultimate respect from his peers. He was selected to the Pro Bowl 5 times and was twice named first team All Pro. But his most memorable moment was intercepting two passes against the Washington Redskins in Super Bowl VII, earning MVP honors.

Individual statistics only tell part of Jake Scott's story with the Dolphins. During the Scott years, the Dolphins were the winningest franchise in profesional sports. Miami won 3 consecutive AFC championships in 1971, 72 and 73 and back-to-back Super Bowl titles in '72 and 73. From 1971 through 1974, the Dolphins were unbeatable at the Orange Bowl, winning an NFL record 31 consecutive home games.

But Scott's body paid a heavy price. He had five stainless-steel screws holding together the bones on his right hand and least one other metal screw in an elbow. He entered Super Bowl VII nursing a separated shoulder. He once played in a Pro Bowl with two broken hands in casts. He refused to take painkillers which later led to a fallout with head coach Don Shula.

Following the 1975 season, Scott refused to attend a mandatory Dolphins award banquet. He was later traded to the Washington Redskins, where he finished the final three seasons of his career. Scott was extremely upset and never forgave Shula for the trade. To this day, he has not spoken to his former head coach and has no regrets.

During his years in Miami, Scott developed a legendary reputation with his teammates as a tough guy and a party animal who loved to raise hell. He once consumed 43 beers in one sitting. He was said to be a bigger womanizer than Joe Namath. And if there was ever a bar fight, you wanted Jake Scott on your side. He intimidated his own teammates. During his first season with Dolphins in 1970, rookie players were required to sing their college fight song as a hazing ritual. Scott was the only rookie who refused to participate. Nobody wanted to mess with him.

When his career ended, he withdrew completely from the football world. For many years only a few close friends knew his whereabouts. Even family members couldn't find him. In 2006 Sun Sentinel sportswriter Dave Hyde finally tracked Scott down and found him living in a remote region in Hawaii. Scott claims he makes his living as an "investor" while living the good life in his little corner of the world. He doesn't follow football and it's a part of his life he has put behind him.

Three years ago during Super Bowll XL, the NFL honored all the of the previous Super Bowl MVP's in a pregame ceremony. Scott was the only one who didn't attend. Last year, the Miami Dolphins honored Dick Anderson and former offensive lineman Richmond Webb for induction into the team's Ring of Honor. With all due respect to Richmond Webb, it's hard to comprehend Anderson not being inducted with his former partner in crime Jake Scott. But the truth is the Dolphin organization knew Scott would not show up. The 1972 Dolphins reunite every year when the last undefeated team loses. But one player you'll never find at those parties is Jake Scott. Chances are you'll find him relaxing at his familiar bar stool sipping a beer in Hawaii.

Ghosts of the Orange Bowl: Andy Gustafson

Here's a quick trivia question. What former University of Miami head football coach has won the most games? It's got to be Howard Schnellenberger right? Nope. Oh, then it has to be Jimmy Johnson. Wrong. Hmmm, maybe Dennis Erickson? Wrong again. Is it Butch Davis or Larry Coker? No and no. But if your answer was Andy Gustafson, then you know your Hurricane football history.

For 16 seasons from 1948 through 1963, Gustafson stood on the UM sidelines leading the Hurricanes to a 93-65-3 record. Virtually all of the great college and pro coaches have paced the sidelines of the Orange Bowl field at one time or another. But only Don Shula coached more games at the Orange Bowl than Gustafson. Prior to coaching at UM, Gustafson had been a head coach at Virginia Tech from 1926 to 1929 and served as an assistant at Army under head coach Red Blaik.

Under Gustafson, the University of Miami football program made the transition to playing a big time schedule. National powers like Alabama and Notre Dame became regular opponents on the Canes schedule. In 1955 Notre Dame visited the Orange Bowl for the first time and drew a crowd of 75,685--the first sellout in UM football history. The Irish beat Miami 14-0 behind two touchdowns by junior quarterback Paul Hornung. But it would start a long rivalry that would continue until 1990 when the series was cancelled due to bad blood between the two programs.

Gustafson's influence on Miami football is huge. By playing a national schedule, the Hurricanes soon were able to attract top athletes from out of state. Players like Don Bosseler, Jack Losch, Jim Otto and Bill Miller all came to Miami from the Northeast and Midwest. But Gustafson's strategy of recruiting northern players was no accident. He had developed many relationships with high school coaches in the Northeast from his days as an assistant at Army. He also believed the high school football talent in Miami and the state of Florida lacked the depth needed to build the Miami program. At the time, Miami had trouble attracting the best local players. Most of the best players in South Florida ended up at Florida and even Georgia Tech.

But Gustafson's snowbird recruits were plenty good enough to stand toe to toe with his instate rivals. During the Gustafson years, the Canes were 9-7 against Florida and 8-2 against Florida State. The Canes won 8 games or more four times and finished the 1956 season ranked 6th in the AP poll--the first top 10 finish in school history. However not all of Gustafson's best players were from the North. There were local stars like halfback Jim Dooley and lineman Charlie George from Miami High. All American quarterback Fran Curci was a graduate of Archbishop Curley. But the biggest star of them all was a kid from Key West named George Mira.

Gustafson wasn't without his faults. Throughout his 16 seasons at UM, all of his players had one thing in common. They were all white. In a time of segregation just before the massive Cuban migration and the Castro Revolution, Miami was a small southern city known more as a tourist destination for Northerners. It wasn't uncommon for the marching band to play "Dixie" during halftime. During his final years as Canes head coach, new UM President Dr. Henry King Stanford approached Gustafson and suggested Miami should begin recruiting black athletes. Gustafson resisted. It wasn't until his final year as head coach in 1963 when Gustafson decided to finally recruit a local black athlete named Cyril Pinder from Crispus Attucks High School in Hollywood. Pinder ended up attending Illinois and it would be another four years until Miami signed its first black football player Ray Bellamy in 1967.

Gustafson also had his own personal demons with alcholism. Longtime Miami Herald writer Edwin Pope once said of Gustafson, " I just loved Gus. He was a wonderful guy. I got to know Gus after 1956. He was in Alcoholics Anonymous and loved to tell me the about his brother who said, 'When you feel your worst, always look your best.' Gus told me he had this horrible hangover and came in the office at six in the morning dressed in a suit."

Overall, Gustafson left a great legacy. Among his assistant coaches was Hank Stram, who went on to become a hall of fame head coach with the Kansas City Chiefs. Former UM quarterback Don James later became a hall of fame coach at the University of Washington and credits Gustafson as a big influence. Gustafson was also the head of the selection committee of the North vs. South college all star game played annually at the Orange Bowl from 1948 through 1973. He served as athletic director at UM following his coaching career. He is also a member of the College Football Hall of Fame and the University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame.

Ghosts of the Orange Bowl: Tommie Frazier

Nebraska quarterback Tommie Frazier breaks a tackle by Miami's C.J. Richardson during the 1995 Fed Ex Orange Bowl

As a young kid growing up in Bradenton, Tommie Frazier dreamed of someday playing quarterback in big games at the Orange Bowl. But he figured he would be playing for the Gators, Seminoles or Hurricanes. Everything was going as planned. As a 10th grader at Bradenton's Manatee High School, he led his team to the state championship. By his junior year, he was already considered one of the best high school quarterbacks in the state. As a senior he was named high school All American by Parade Magazine and USA Today. Florida, Florida State and Miami all offered football scholarships. But there was just one problem. None of the Florida schools wanted Frazier to play quarterback. They all recruited Frazier as an "athlete" with the option of playing receiver, defensive back or running back.

Frazier had always been an option quarterback from the time he was in Pop Warner through high school. He was determined to play quarterback in college. As an option quarterback, his strengths were more geared to run the football and pitch to his tailback rather throw the ball downfield from the pocket. Enter Tom Osborne and the Nebraska Cornhuskers. Nebraska made Frazier an offer he couldn't refuse-- a chance to play quarterback for a big time program. It turned out to be a perfect marriage.

Less than a month after enrolling at Nebraska in the Fall of 1992, it didn't take long for Frazier to break into the starting lineup. He replaced senior Mike Grant and never looked back. He led the Huskers to the Big 8 title and a trip to the Fed Ex Orange Bowl. It was Frazier's chance to finally play in the game and stadium he had grown up watching on TV. The opponent was Florida State and it was also an opportunity to play against one of the Florida schools who didn't believe in his quarterback abilities. The Seminoles won the game as a nervous Frazier struggled against the speedy FSU defense. But Frazier was just beginning to realize his potential.

The following season in 1993, Frazier led Nebraska to an undefeated regular season and another trip to Miami for the Fed Ex Orange Bowl. Once again the opponent would be Florida State. But this time the national championship was on the line. The heavily favored Noles soon realized the sophomore version of Frazier was much different from the nervous freshman they faced the previous year. Frazier didn't make the same mistakes of turning the ball over. He kept the FSU defense off balance the entire evening, combining clutch passing to go along with his running ability with the option. Late in the fourth quarter, Frazier drove Nebraska to a go-ahead touchdown to take a 16-15 lead. But FSU's Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Charlie Ward answered back and led the Noles to a drive that led to the eventual game winning field goal by Scott Bentley to take an 18-16 lead. With less than a minute left in the game, Frazier miraculously drove Nebraska deep into into FSU territory, completing a 29-yard pass to Tremaine Bell as time almost expired. Bell was ruled down with one second left in the game. But kicker Byron Bennett missed a 45-yard field on the final play and Nebraska lost again. Despite the loss, Frazier was named Nebraska's MVP for the game.

Frazier was now 0-2 in bowl games and Nebraska had a 7-year bowl losing streak. That all changed in 1994. For the second consecutive year, Frazier lead Nebraska to an undefeated regular season and a third straight trip to the Fed Ex Orange Bowl. This time the opponent was the hometown Miami Hurricanes. While Nebraska was considered the favorite, the Huskers had were 0-3 against the Hurricanes in the Orange Bowl, including the famous 31-30 loss in 1984. Frazier started the game, but struggled early against Miami's defense led by Warren Sapp and Ray Lewis. He was sent to the bench and replaced by backup quarterback Brook Berringer, who had started several games that season when Frazier was sidelined with blood clots in his leg. Berringer also struggled. Miami led most of the game and had a 17-7 lead late in the third quarter. It looked like another frustrating loss for Nebraska in the Orange Bowl. Sensing a shift in momentum, Tom Osborne summoned Frazier from the bench and put him back into the game. Frazier energized Nebraska and led the Huskers to a pair of 4th quarter touchdown drives to win the game 24-17 and the national championship. Frazier was once again named the MVP of the game. He became only the third player in Fed Ex Orange Bowl history to be named MVP twice, joining former Nebraska quarterback Jerry Tagge and Oklahoma quarterback J.C. Watts.

Frazier would finish his college career with another national championship--this time demolishing Florida 62-24 in the Fiesta Bowl. His 75-yard touchdown run late in the game is one of the most memorable runs in college football history. Once again, he was named MVP. Frazier is the only quarterback in college football history to be named MVP in three national championship games.

Undrafted by the NFL, Frazier went on to play briefly in the Canadian Football League. But continous blood clot problems shortened his playing career. He went to coach and served as a graduate assistant at Baylor University and was head coach at Doane College in Crete, Nebraska for two seasons. Married with two children, Frazier is now an account executive for an energy company in Nebraska.

Ghosts of the Orange Bowl: Don Bosseler

If you grew up in the mid to late 1950s, you probably remember the music of Elvis Presley blaring out of the jukebox at the local soda shop or James Dean lighting up the silver screen and Dwight Eisenhower in the White House. But if you were a University of Miami football fan, chances are Don Bosseler was your hero. If Norman Rockwell had to paint a picture of a football player, it would be Bosseler. At 6'1 and 212 pounds, he was big, muscular and sported a blond crewcut. His nickname was "Bull" and as a fullback, he preferred to run over tacklers rather than go around them.

Like many Hurricane football players at the time, Bosseler was from the Northeast part of the country (Batavia, NY). While there was good high school football played in South Florida, UM head coach Andy Gustafson preferred recruiting players from Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey because the depth of football talent in the Sunshine State wasn't as deep as it is today. From 1953 to 1956, Bosseler was the face of Miami Hurricane football. Before he arrived in Coral Gables, UM had never been ranked in the Associated Press top 10. Bosseler often played his best games against instate rivals Florida and Florida State. When his college career was finished, the Canes were a perfect 7-0 against the Gators and Noles.

During his senior year in 1956, Bosseler set a then UM record with 723 yards rushing on 161 carries and 4 touchdowns. On defense he was also Miami's leading tackler from his linebacker position. The Canes finished the 1956 season ranked 6th in the nation by the Associated Press, marking the first time UM had ever finished in the top 10. Bosseler was chosen first-team All American by the Associated Press and was selected to play in the Senior Bowl where he was named the game's MVP.

Bosseler's football career continued when he was drafted in the first round by the Washington Redskins in 1957. He was the 9th overall pick and the third running back taken in a star-studded draft behind future hall of famers Jim Brown and Paul Hornung. He played all 8 of his NFL seasons with the Redskins and was named to the Pro Bowl in 1959. He finished his career in 1964 with 3,112 career yards rushing and 23 touchdowns.

In 1990 Bosseler was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. He is also a member of the University of Miami's Sports Hall of Fame and his name is included in the school's Ring of Honor.