Kenny Calhoun: Deflection Leads to Title

Incelebration of Black History Month, HurricaneSports.comwill highlight several African-American student-athletes that left their markon the University of Miami. Our next profile focuses on one of the greatest plays in school history – Kenny Calhoun’s pass deflection against Nebraska to seal the Miami Hurricanes’ first national championship in football.

It’s believed by many Hurricanes fans to be the greatest play in school history. It’s one of the most iconic plays at the historic Orange Bowl.

Kenny Calhoun’s pass deflection could be the play that catapulted the Miami Hurricanes football dynasty.

Miami was a major underdog to national title favorite Nebraska at the 1984 Orange Bowl. The Hurricanes held a 7-point lead in the final minute until the Huskers scored with 48 seconds remaining to pull within one, 31-30. Instead of kicking the extra point for the tie game, Nebraska elected to go for two and the outright win. Nebraska QB Turner Gill rolled out of the pocket, aiming for Jeff Smith. However, Calhoun deflected Gill’s pass to seal Miami’s 31-30 Orange Bowl victory and the program’s first football national championship.

Calhoun, a native of Titusville, Fla., graduated from the University of Miami in 1986 and earned his master’s degree in public administration from Troy University in 2006. Since April 2003, he has served as the CEO and owner of Miami Hero Team, a service company, based in Lakeland, Fla.