CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Miami quarterback Tyler Van Dyke said Thursday he's happy the Hurricanes have decided to retire the "turnover chain."
Hurricanes defensive players have been celebrating forced turnovers since 2017 by donning an oversized 36-inch, 10-karat gold chain around their neck while on the sideline.
"I was never a big fan of it because we'd be (losing) and people would get a pick and throw it on — and we're still down and losing the game," Van Dyke said. "Sometimes it just made no sense. Other times when it was a big turnover, yeah, it was hype and cool and all that. But right now we're really about winning."
First-year coach Mario Cristobal downplayed the decision to end the tradition by saying, "I think probably the media has put more thought into this than I have."
Cristobal, who won two national championships with Miami as a player, said he doesn't believe a celebratory chain translates to winning football games.
"It's not a shot or form of disrespect to anybody or anyone," Cristobal said. "Certainly history is history, whether it's positive, whether it's inconsequential. ... We're just moving in a direction that right now doesn't involve it."
Miami defensive end Jahfari Harvey said it was a "great feeling" getting to chance to wear the chain last year after intercepting a pass and returning it for a touchdown. But he said he's not upset with the change.
