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| Vincent Testaverde Jr. sporting his father's iconic (and previously retired) No. 14. Photo/Todd Forrest |
With a Testaverde sporting the retired No. 14 jersey on the Miami sidelines this season, many Hurricane fans were left reminiscing on the glory days of the 1980's when Heisman trophies and National Championship games were an annual occurrence.
Vincent Testaverde Jr., son of Vinny, the first Hesiman Trophy winner from The U, was a redshirt-sophomore quarterback under Head Coach Mark Richt, a former teammate of Vinny Sr., Bernie Kosar, and Jim Kelly during the infancy of the “Quarterback U” era in Coral Gables.
Last week, I profiled North Georgia's Evan Shirreffs, who like Testaverde, comes from a family of quarterbacks, but the similarities end there.
So lace up your combat boots, slip on some camo, and top it off with a pair of 1980's Wayfarer sunglasses as we welcome another Testaverde to the Miami backfield with this edition of CaneResurrection Next Man Up: Vincent Testaverde Jr.
First of all, I just have to say one thing: Regardless of who is named starter and whether we agree or disagree on the decision; there is one thing that NO Cane fan can argue: competition at the QB position will only benefit the program.
Having five capable quarterbacks, all offering a unique mix of skill-sets and intangibles, allows each to bring something distinctive to the table for Coach Richt and staff.
Remember when Jacory Harris was named starter? No questions asked, no open competition in camp, no need to recruit another quarterback, end of story. Does anyone recall his backups? Alonzo Highsmith Jr. - not a D1-level QB who was converted to a safety. He was hurt vs Virginia 2010 the one time we needed him at QB when J12 went down.
Spencer Whipple – a walk on from UMass that was only on the roster because daddy was offensive coordinator. Got playing time vs UVa because Highsmith was injured. He lasted one or two series and was so overwhelmed that Randy Shannon was compelled to burn a redshirt on Stephen Morris.
We should all be appreciative. This will be the first legit competition involving adept, competent QBs at The U in a very, very long time.
But like I said in the Shirreffs article, regardless of who is named QB, they will have my full support. After a little research on Vincent Jr., I found a very gripping article from the Baltimore Sun that reminded me (as a single father with a 9-year old son) that each of these players are someone's child. While we may look at them as invincible, undaunted athletes, let's not forget these young men put their bodies on the line for our entertainment and they all have families that want their children to be safe, successful, and content first and foremost (with winning football games a little further down the list).
Growing Up the Son of a Legend:
I'll begin with the Baltimore Sun article and his early days before getting into his time as a QB at Tampa Jesuit, Texas Tech, and The U.
After spending his early years in Tampa, where his father was the No. 1 overall pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 1987 NFL Draft, he moved to Long Island when his dad spent his first stint with the Jets and that's when it all “sunk in.”
In an interview with GAIN Sports Blog, Testaverde Jr. discussed his early football memories. “It was when I was either 7 or 8 that I went to one of my dad's games with the Jets and was allowed to go down on the field after the game that it all sunk in,” he said. “I was able to take everything in and it successfully clicked for me that football was a big part of my family's life.”
In a 1997 Baltimore Sun article, Vinny and his wife Mitzi Testaverde reflected on the birth of Vincent Jr., and his twin brother that didn't survive the womb.
Eight weeks into the pregnancy, Mitzi began to hemorrhage and called 911.
The ER doctor informed her she had miscarried and needed to abort the pregnancy. But since her husband wasn't at the hospital – he was playing a football game – she refused. Later, a sonogram was performed and it was discovered that both of the twins' hearts were still beating.
Unfortunately, one of the hearts stopped two weeks later.
“From the beginning it was difficult,” Mitzi told the Sun's Sandra McKee. “We'd go for sonograms and they always seemed to have trouble finding the heartbeat or the baby. Something always happened involving the one. Finally they couldn't find one of them. That was awfully tough, but we were thankful we had the one.”
The twin remained in the womb until Vincent Jr.'s birth.
Mitzi was put on bed rest for the four months leading up to the birth and each time she went in for a test, the results rarely brought solace.
“I was a nervous wreck,” she said. “Every test they did came back positive. I was tested and it said the baby was positive for Down syndrome. Then they'd say, 'it could be the twin.' You just didn't know”
Finally, the day arrived.
“(The birth of Vincent Jr.) was emotional, both joyful and sad, because you're sitting there looking at a beautiful healthy boy and you're saying, 'we could have had two,'” Vinny said.
From Tampa to Lubbock to Coral Gables
With the exception of Malik Rosier, no returning Miami QB has more game experience than Testaverde.
COLLEGE game experience that is.
Testaverde Jr., whose first love was basketball, was a bit late in taking an interest in dad's profession. It wasn't until his junior year at Tampa Jesuit that he decided to give football a shot. Eight games into the season, Vincent Testaverde Jr., donning No. 14 just like his old man, earned the starting quarterback job and finished the season with 152 yards and one score on 16-of-35 passing.
“I was a good (basketball) player but going into my sophomore year at Tampa Jesuit I started having thoughts about playing quarterback,” Testaverde Jr. told gainsports.com in 2014. “Even during my time playing only basketball, I would go out and shoot hoops with my dad and then spend time throwing the football with him in the yard. During the spring of my sophomore year, I talked with my dad, and decided to switch it up and start my development on playing quarterback.
With two seniors ahead of him on the depth chart at Tampa Jesuit, the coach offered Testaverde the opportunity to start junior varsity games but he declined.
“I did not want to be the only junior on the field,” he said. “So I worked my hardest to make sure I was prepared if I received an opportunity to start on varsity.
“Against Lakewood, they inserted me as a starter. I went 4-for-10 and threw for around 115 yards. We had an opportunity to kick a field goal late in the fourth quarter to tie the game but it was blocked. I only made one pass attempt in the redzone during that series and it made me appreciate having the ball in my hands in those situations moving forward.
“I started the final two games of the season and we won both games. The final game was against our rival Tampa Catholic. I threw a TD pass and we won 17-3. It gave me confidence going into the offseason that I had an opportunity to go out and play well as a senior.”
With a year of experience while also playing under Vinny Sr., an assistant coach at Jesuit, Testaverde Jr. showed substantial improvement as a 12th grader, leading his team to a District Championship and the state regional semifinals while completing 90-of-167 passes for 1,015 yards and 9 scores.
Despite not turning 18 until after graduation and being overlooked by most of the major recruiting websites, following in his father's footsteps by honing his skills at the prep school level was thoroughly considered. But after being well received by the people of West Texas he accepted a preferred walk-on offer from Texas Tech Red Raiders' Head Coach Kliff Kingsbury.
“A lot of FCS, Division II and Division III schools showed interest when my film was sent out after the season but I was set on giving myself the opportunity to compete with a BCS school if I was not going to go the prep route,” Testaverde Jr. told gainsports.com. “I ended up having walk-on opportunities at Florida, USF, FAU but I fell in love with Texas Tech and knew that is where I wanted to go.”
Kingsbury was a former teammate of Testaverde Sr. on the 2005 New York Jets, where he developed a respect for the veteran Pro Bowl QB.
“(Vinny) was an 18-year veteran and he was very good to me and treated me well, and I always remember that,” Kingsbury said in a Dallas Morning News story.
He also discussed his first impressions of the younger Testaverde, “he hadn't played football a lot, so we thought a little more development and he could have a shot to be a good player.”
At 6-foot-1, Testaverde drew more comparisons to Texas Tech's freshman starting QB Pat Mahomes than the elder Testaverde who stands 6-foot-5. But unlike Mahomes, Vincent wasn't expecting to get thrust into action during his first year in Lubbock.
A little more than two years prior, Vincent's focus was strictly basketball. Now he was on the field, facing the in-state rival Longhorns after Mahomes went down with an injury with 7:12 to play before halftime.
The Red Raiders eventually fell 34-13 and Vincent Testaverde completed 15-of-26 passes for 116 yards and a pick. Mahomes returned the following week and Testaverde didn't see the field for the remainder of the 2014 season.
What's being said about Vincent:
Following his transfer to Coral Gables in March 2015, Vincent told Susan Miller Degnan of the Miami Herald that he “had a good time” at Texas Tech, but he “wanted to come (to Miami).”
When asked about following in his father's footsteps, he said, “it's a lot to live up to, I understand that. You can't listen to that. You can't let it get in your head. You just have to do your thing.”
He “throws a really pretty ball,” former UM Offensive Coordinator James Coley said of Testaverde Jr. “Obviously, this is a really big change from Texas Tech and its (spread offense). It takes a little getting used to down here.”
According to former head coach Al Golden, Vincent is, “very bright” and “(throws) the ball really well” while noting the “stark contrast in systems” as his greatest challenge at The U.
Prior to the 2016 season, Testaverde and Rosier were neck-and-neck as the front-runners for the backup job while Shirreffs was dealing with a hand injury and coaches were leaning towards a redshirt for incoming freshman Jack Allison .
“Right now what I'm going to do is work more Testaverde and Malik and give them all of the reps with the twos and have them battle it out,” first year head coach Mark Richt told CanesInSight last summer.
Prior to the season opener with Florida A&M, Cameron Underwood at SB Nation: State of The U also broke down the backup QB competition.
“(He) is a walk-on with some talent. He's probably not going to be more than a depth player..., but he's probably one of the better walk-ons in America, non Baker Mayfield division.
“The younger Testaverde adds depth and a modicum of talent to the QB position,” Underwood added in another article. “But, Miami would be in a bad, bad place if he were to take meaningful snaps at QB this season.”
That statement from Underwood came prior to the 2016 season when Kaaya remained on the roster. He said pretty much the same thing in a early-January 2017 QB preview:
“Testaverde may have his father's name, but the comparisons end there. He, like Rosier, lacks ideal size for the QB position at 6-1 and doesn't have any outstanding physical traits...I would be SHOCKED if Testaverde made any noise in this QB battle, to be quite honest. He's a Cane, just like his dad, but Vincent Testaverde is never going to play any snaps here. If he does, something – lots of things – went horribly, terribly wrong.”
Two Minute Drill:
Finally, the odds are clearly not in Testaverde's favor but if he becomes the starter, and beats out the competition, then more power to the kid - he will most certainly have earned it.
If not, I wish him nothing but the best. Even if that means going somewhere else as a graduate transfer and getting to play right away. If he can't help Miami, I hope he can help someone...as long as they don't cross paths with my Canes.
Until then, his experience in the spread offense at Texas Tech could be a bonus for the scout team if/when we meet up with a spread team...like West Virginia. That makes me wonder if Richt used him to simulate Skyler Howard prior to the bowl. I would expect that Testaverde would mirror Howard more so than Allison.
