Backup Torretta Leads No. 2 Miami

A record passing performance by Miami Hurricane freshman Gino Torretta may not be enough to keep him from going back to the bench.

Torretta, making his second start for injured Craig Erickson, threw for 468 yards Saturday to break Bernie Kosar’s one-game school record in a 48-16 victory over San Jose State.

Erickson, who broke a knuckle on his throwing hand two weeks ago, hopes to be healthy when No. 2 Miami (6-0) plays its next game, Oct. 28 at No. 19 Florida State.

Coach Dennis Erickson said Craig Erickson remains Miami’s No. 1 quarterback. But the coach also said he’s undecided about who will start against the Seminoles.

“If Craig is healthy and 100 percent, then we’re going to make a decision,” the coach said. “We’re going to take a look at it. What we want to do is play the guy that’s going to win games for us.”

Against San Jose State (2-3), Torretta completed 32 of 49 passes and converted 10 of 15 third-down situations. He repeatedly beat the Spartans’ blitzes and passed for touchdowns covering 18 yards to Lamar Thomas, 38 yards to Wesley Carroll and 17 yards to Randy Bethel.

Torretta, who came off the bench to help beat Michigan State and started last week’s 56-0 victory over Cincinnati, hopes he has changed the perception that he is Miami’s backup quarterback.

“If I haven’t, I don’t know what I can do to change it,” he said. “I’m not worried about who’s going to start, who’s going to play. I’m just worried about beating Florida State.”

Torretta’s 13-yard pass to Randall Hill early in the fourth quarter broke Kosar’s record of 447 yards, set in the famous Hail Flutie loss to Boston College in 1984.

“After I threw the pass, someone said congratulations,” Torretta said. “I didn’t know what they were talking about. But if we hadn’t won, it wouldn’t have mattered anyway.”

Defense also played a big role as Miami denied San Jose State a first down on nine of its 12 possessions and gave up only 215 yards.

“Miami is the best team I have ever coached against, perhaps the best I will ever face,” said San Jose State’s Claude Gilbert, a college head coach for 14 seasons. “Our guys played the best they could.”

The Hurricanes led, 17-8, at halftime and scored 24 unanswered points on their first four possessions in the second half.

San Jose State scored in the second quarter on a 35-yard pass-and-run play from Matt Veatch to Kevin Evans, and late in the fourth quarter on a two-yard pass from Ralph Martini to James Courtney. The Spartans also scored two two-point conversions.