Coming To Scott Stadium Saturday: The Legendary Turnover Chain

It’s made of 10-Karat gold. It’s a 36-inch Cuban-link necklace that weighs almost seven pounds.

It’s got over 4,000 orange, green and silver stones that make up the centerpiece — a replica of University of Miami mascot “Sebastian the Ibis” strutting his feathers.

It has been one of the most talked-about pieces of jewelry in sports history and it even has its own song, performed by the rap artist SoLo D.

It’s the Miami “Turnover Chain,” and it’s something you want to keep hidden if you’re facing the Hurricanes on the gridiron.

Since the start of the 2017 season, each caused turnover by the Miami defense brings the Chain out of hiding, where it is then placed around the neck of the player who made the big play.

Every time the Chain is on display, it gets everyone associated with “The U” fired up, as Virginia coach Bronco Mendenhall pointed out during Monday’s weekly press conference ahead of Saturday night’s primetime matchup against the 16th-ranked ‘Canes (5-1, 2-0 ACC).

“There is the momentum factor…,” Mendenhall said, “they feed off [the turnovers] and they become even more skilled and more confident and more assertive once there is a sudden change.”

Mendenhall saw first hand the effect the Turnover Chain can have, up close and personal, in last season’s loss at then-No. 3 Miami.

Kurt Benkert was nearly perfect in the first half — he completed 17 of his first 18 passes and had the Cavaliers out in front 28-14 early in the third quarter.

But the Chain made an appearance as the ‘Canes quickly tied it up on a Jaquan Johnson 30-yard pick six, part of 30 unanswered Miami points that helped seal the 44-28 win.

The Hurricane defense forced 31 turnovers in 2017, the most among Power 5 schools and third-most in all of Division I.

So far this season the ‘Canes are doing it again, registering 14 takeaways (eight interceptions and six fumble recoveries) in six games. Almost half of those takeaways came against North Carolina two weeks ago, as Miami turned six of them into three touchdowns en route to a 47-10 thrashing of the Tar Heels.

Last week against longtime rival Florida State, Mark Richt’s defense again was the key. The Seminoles led by 20 in the third quarter before a pair of Miami takeaways translated into 14 points — in a matter of 42 seconds. The U escaped with a 28-27 win, scoring 21 unanswered.

The Hurricanes lead the country in defensive 3rd-down conversion percentage (17 for 86, 0.198) and rank second nationally in total defense (237 yards given up per contest), behind only Michigan.

Miami gives up just 3.81 yards per play and are 7th in the country in rushing defense.

The ‘Canes also have the top pass defense in the conference, limiting the opposition to just 122 yards a game through the air. A lot of that has to do with the pressure applied by Miami’s front four.

Senior tackle Gerald Willis III (6-foot-4, 300 pounds) and defensive end Jonathan Garvin have combined for 24 tackles for loss, which ranks them both in the nation’s top five in that category.

Willis was just named Outland Trophy National Player of the Month for September.

The Wahoo offense will certainly have its work cut out for it Saturday night and quarterback Bryce Perkins said the team must be able to do whatever is needed to limit the mistakes. It all starts with aggressiveness up front against the Miami D-line, which Perkins called the strength of the unit.

“Coach told us today at our team meeting, he said that [the Hurricanes] feed off turnovers and when they get turnovers, that entices their offense to score points,” said Perkins. “So the biggest key for us is ball security and trying not to get in third-and-long, because when third-and-long comes, that’s when they disguise blitzes and they come with all these exotic blitzes.

“You just see the energy when they get a turnover — on the bench, putting the Chain on — so anything we can do to prevent that is definitely going to play to our advantage.”

Sophomore Zane Zandier said it will be important for the ‘Hoos to not only limit turnovers, but to come away with their own decisive stops and takeaways.

“As soon as that Turnover Chain comes out, that’s normally when they start to turn it up,” said Zandier, who said he watched the FSU game Saturday with his family.

When asked if he wishes Virginia had its own version of the Chain, Zandier respectfully declined the notion.

“A lot of things we talk about all the time is, ‘Less drama, more work,’” Zandier said. “So a lot of that stuff I think is a lot of drama that you don’t necessarily need… turnovers are always a huge thing, and getting excited and getting riled up like they do with that thing, it definitely helps the momentum. I’m not sure if that’s our style, but getting excited off the turnovers is definitely our style.”

Second-year linebacker Charles Snowden, who blocked a punt at Miami last year, echoed those sentiments, when asked if there’s any sort of envy of all the hype and the theatrics on the Miami sideline.

“Each team has their own identity, and so that’s theirs,” Snowden said of the ‘Canes and the Chain. “It’s nice and it looks fun and flashy, but I don’t necessarily envy it because I know we have our identity and I’m more than happy with the way we play.”