Retired but not forgotten. Turnover chain, Miami’s famed sideline swag, has rich history

The turnover chain had a short, but thrilling life.

But as the renowned 1950s tune proclaims, “The party’s over.’’

For Miami Hurricanes football fans, who may or may not be despondent over the departure of the gaudy but deliciously fun bejeweled chains that celebrated UM’s takeaways since 2017, perhaps that means the winning is about to begin.

In an effort to keep the main thing the main thing, University of Miami coach Mario Cristobal confirmed Thursday at the Atlantic Coast Conference media days that the famous turnover chain will no longer be used by the program.

The College Football Hall of Fame informed the Miami Herald it would love to get its hands on one if UM would be so kind, not to mention the UM Sports Hall of Fame. But we digress.

“Everything we do unrelated to any turnover chain or external motivation,’’ Cristobal said, “our focus has to be on working to get better in every facet of football. It is not a shot or form of disrespect to anybody or anyone. Certainly history is history, and whether it’s positive, whether it’s inconsequential, whatever it may be, it’s still history and part of your program. We’re just moving in a direction that right now doesn’t involve it.

“We’ve been working so hard and paying attention to so many other things that, in my opinion are much more critical to winning football games and having success that it really hasn’t been a topic. We won’t be using it. You guys OK with that? We good now?”

UM quarterback Tyler Van Dyke told the Herald on Thursday that he was “never really a big fan of any of those things, just because we’d be down in some games and get a pick and people would throw it on and we’re still down and losing the game. Sometimes it just made no sense. Other times when it was a big turnover, yeah, it was hype and cool and all that. Right now we’re really about just winning and hard work.’’

Actually, UM’s takeaways have decreased every year since the turnover chain rocked the nation with its 2017 debut, becoming another cultural phenomenon inspired by the historically trendy Hurricanes. In 2017, the Canes (10-3) had 31 takeaways — third most in the nation. In 2018 (7-6), they had 25. In 2019 (6-7): 20. In pandemic-marred 2020 (8-3): 16. And last season (7-5), Manny Diaz’s third and last as head coach: 11 — ranked 118th of 129 FBS teams.

Born in 2017

The turnover chain was introduced in 2017 as the brainchild of then-defensive coordinator Diaz, who went on to become the head coach until he was replaced this past December by Cristobal, a former UM offensive lineman who won two national championships. The first chain was five-and-a-half pounds of 10K gold “Cuban link” bling that screamed Miami. It was designed by Cutler Bay jeweler AJ Machado, known as “The King of Bling.’’ It was 36 inches long with a six-and-a-half-inch “U” medallion encrusted with 900 small sapphire stones — 450 orange, 450 green.

“Our guys are doing a great job enjoying it,’’ head coach Mark Richt said. “I don’t see anybody taunting anybody. I see them enjoying the pure joy of making a big play and having your teammates and fans celebrate with you.”

UM paid for all their turnover chains, but Machado said in 2017 that he charged the UM athletic department “a hometown discount.’’

Sixteen different players wore the chain in ‘17, the first being cornerback Malek Young after an interception. The chain became so popular that replicas exploded nationwide, and even famous fans such as former-power-couple Alex Rodriguez and Jennifer Lopez wore them to games. Other programs began to invent their own sideline gimmicks.

Local rapper SoLo D composed a turnover chain rap.

“This is like the UM of old,’’ former rap star Luther “Luke” Campbell said in 2017. “This chain is fly. Every young guy, whether you’re black, white or purple, wants a Cuban link... These players are laying their body on the line to get a turnover because they want to wear that chain. The fun is back.’’

2018, ‘19 chains

The 2018 version featured a huge charm in the shape of mascot Sebastian the Ibis decked out in a flashy orange jersey. It was comprised of more than 4,000 stones and weighed more than 6 1/2 pounds. Trajan Bandy led the team by wearing it five times.

In 2019, the chain was back better than ever, featuring a gem-encrusted, 10-inch “305” charm with 2,000 white sapphire stones. A stone-encrusted green-and-orange U was attached above the main charm.

That year, the Canes added the not-nearly-as-popular, but still fun, four-finger touchdown rings— two per set. One read “Hurri” and the other read “canes.”

2020, ‘21 jewelry

In 2020, perhaps the weirdest version of the chain, turnovers were awarded with a giant state-of-Florida necklace, with a large U affixed to it. The tri-county area of Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach was filled with green-and-orange sapphires, as was the U. Cornerback Al Blades Jr. was the first recipient that season, and cornerback Marcus Clarke the last.

The 2020 touchdown rings raised the excitement level up a notch. They spelled “The Crib” when put together.

And that brings us to 2021, when the final turnover chain — a jewel-studded, old-school UM helmet — made an inauspicious debut against none other than then-defending national champion Alabama in the Sept. 4 Chick-fil-A Kickoff at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Officials ruled a second-quarter fumble recovery by safety Gurvan Hall, then reversed the decision after UM draped the chain around the neck of freshman Kamren Kinchens, who caused the fumble. But the forced fumble was overturned by officials, forcing Miami to stash the chain away until it debuted officially in the third quarter.

The final version of the rings spelled out MIAMI in green, orange and white.

Little did corner Clarke know that his interception in the right corner of the end zone at Duke with 3:48 left in the 2021 finale would be the last time the turnover chain would grace a Hurricane.

Chains’ future

Jason Layton, UM’s deputy director of athletics and chief financial officer since 2017, told the Herald on Friday that “nothing has been decided” about what happens next with the existing turnover chains. He confirmed that they’re still “housed in the athletic department” but wouldn’t divulge the exact location. Each chain was once stored in Diaz’s traveling humidor and came out only on game days. Recruits have worn the chains in promotional photographs.

Atlanta’s College Football Hall of Fame would gladly find a way to have a turnover chain exhibit, if even temporary. “I’d been trying to get the turnover chains for years but it never got anywhere,’’ said recently departed curator and historian Jeremy Swick, who worked with current curator Kent Stephens. “Once the season kicks off it gets very busy.’’

UM Sports Hall of Fame executive director John Routh, famed longtime Sebastian the Ibis, said, “Oh God, we’d love to display those, maybe even for a weekend event.

“Miami has led college football’s culture for years, from the brash swagger of our celebrations to the smoke to the turnover chain,’’ Routh said. “We were the first and we were the best. The turnover chain was strictly Miami. Love us or hate us people want to be us. The turnover chain helped make 2017 magical, but it was winning that was the best part of it. And ultimately, winning is what we’ve got to get back to.’’

May the chains rest in peace.