University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Dan Marino Elected to College Football Hall of Fame
5/7/2002 12:00:00 AM | Football
Dan Marino Elected to College Football Hall of Fame
5/7/2002
Dan Marino is one of the greatest quarterbacks in college and pro football history. |
PITTSBURGH - The University of Pittsburgh's pipeline to the College Football Hall of Fame continued today with the announcement that quarterback Dan Marino, who starred for the Panthers from 1979-82, is a member of the 2002 induction class.
Marino is the 21st Pittsburgh player or coach to earn induction into the College Football Hall of Fame and the fifth in the last eight years.
A 1979 graduate of Pittsburgh's Central Catholic High, he will receive his formal induction at the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame's 45th Annual Awards Dinner, held at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City this December.
In addition to Marino, the 2002 College Football Hall of Fame inductees include split end Terry Beasley (Auburn, 1969-71), tailback George "Sonny" Franck (Minnesota, 1938-40), running back Cosmo Iacavazzi (Princeton, 1962-64), receiver John Jefferson (Arizona State, 1974-77), safety Ronnie Lott (Southern California, 1977-80), tailback Napoleon McCallum (Navy, 1983-85), offensive guard Reggie McKenzie (Michigan, 1969-71), defensive back Randy Rhino (Georgia Tech, 1972-74), offensive tackle Jerry Sisemore (Texas, 1970-72), linebacker Gary Spani (Kansas State, 1974-77), defensive tackle Reggie White (Tennessee, 1980-83), tight end Kellen Winslow (Missouri, 1976-78), Coach Earle Bruce (Colorado State; Northern Iowa, Ohio State, Iowa State and Tampa, 1972-92) and Coach Carmen Cozza (Yale, 1965-96).
Marino finished his collegiate career holding every major passing record in Pittsburgh history, including career marks for passing yards (8,597) and completions (693). Twenty years after his final collegiate season, Marino still holds Pittsburgh records for touchdown passes in a career (79) and season (37) as well as consecutive games with a TD pass (19).
He went on to a spectacular 17-year career in the National Football League with the Miami Dolphins, retiring following the 1999 season.
Marino grew up in Pittsburgh's Oakland neighborhood, in the shadow of the University of Pittsburgh campus. Also a highly regarded baseball product in high school, he was a fourth-round draft choice of the Kansas City Royals. Marino opted to play football for the Panthers, however, and his career coincided with one of the winningest periods in Pittsburgh history.
As a true freshman in 1979, Marino led the Panthers to a Fiesta Bowl victory after replacing injured Rick Trocano in the season's seventh game. He set a Pittsburgh freshman record with 1,680 yards passing. Marino also led the Panthers to two difficult road victories against rivals West Virginia (24-7) and Penn State (29-14), and a 16-10 win against Arizona in the Fiesta Bowl.
As a sophomore in 1980 he was one of the country's leading passers until he was sidelined with a knee injury, and in a twist of fate, was replaced by Trocano, who had been starting at free safety. Marino had guided the Panthers to victories in five of their first six games. Despite the injury, Marino still finished with 1,609 yards passing and 14 touchdowns.
But it was his magical junior season in 1981 that truly earmarked him for greatness. Marino passed for 2,876 yards and a school-record 37 touchdowns that year, leading Pittsburgh to its third consecutive 11-1 record. He also set a single-game record by throwing for six touchdowns against South Carolina.
He enhanced his reputation for delivering in the clutch in the 1982 Sugar Bowl, when he fired a 33-yard touchdown pass to tight end John Brown with just 35 seconds remaining in the game for a pulsating, come-from-behind 24-20 victory over Georgia. That victory put the icing on the winningest three-year stretch in Panther history - three consecutive 11-1 seasons for a combined record of 33-3.
It was also the third consecutive bowl victory for the Panthers. In addition to the '79 Fiesta Bowl, Pittsburgh crushed South Carolina, 37-9, in the 1980 Gator Bowl.
Marino closed out his collegiate career in 1982 by passing for 2,432 yards, the second-highest single-season total in school history, and 17 touchdowns. The Panthers finished 9-3 with a berth in the Cotton Bowl against Southern Methodist. Marino's No. 13 was retired by Pittsburgh following his senior season.
A first-round draft pick of the Miami Dolphins in 1983, Marino went on to gain recognition as one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history. He retired following the 1999 season as the league's all-time leader in passing attempts (8,358), completions (4,967), yardage (61,361) and touchdowns (420).
Marino joined HBO Sports as a commentator on "Inside the NFL" in 2000. He is also very active in community service and in 1992 started the Dan Marino Foundation, which helps support many South Florida charities.
In addition to Marino, the Panthers' other College Hall of Famers, with the years they participated at Pittsburgh in parentheses, are: Len Casanova (1950, coach), Averell Daniell (1934-36), Tom Davies (1918-21), Mike Ditka (1958-60), Joseph Donchess (1927-29), Tony Dorsett (1973-76), Bill Fralic (1981-84), Hugh Green (1977-80), Marshall Goldberg (1936-38), John Majors (1954-56, as a player at Tennessee), Herb McCracken (1918-20), George McLaren (1915-18), Robert Peck (1913-16), Joe Schmidt (1950-52), Joe Skladany (1931-33), Herb Stein (1918-21), Dr. John B. Sutherland (1914-17 [player], 1924-38 [coach]), Joseph Thompson (1904-06 [player], 1908-12 [coach]), Hube Wagner (1910-13), and Glenn "Pop" Warner (1915-23, coach).
