Just about every college football team has some type of turnover gimmick they break out following a takeaway these days, but they all originate from Miami's Turnover Chain a couple of years back. Just because you're the originator of something, though, doesn't mean you can't improve upon it.
Miami debuted an updated Turnover Chain -- as they've done every year since its inception in 2017 -- during Saturday's Week 0 game against Florida. With the Gators already up 7-3 and knocking inside the red zone, the Hurricanes recovered a fumble at their own 7-yard line and stopped some early bleeding. As such, they broke out this gorgeous new gem on the sidelines:
The 305, of course, represents the area code for the Miami area. Per Miami, the new charm weighs 500 grams while the chain itself weighs two kilograms. The 305 charm is roughly 10 inches wide and contains more than 2,000 white sapphire stones. In all, the chain took about three months to complete.
The first recipient of the chain was defensive lineman Scott Patchan. It's a feel-good moment for him as well, as the redshirt senior has battled injuries and position switches over his career with the program.
Here's a look at all three turnover chains since 2017. Personally, nothing will probably ever beat the original "U" chain, but this is a solid runner-up.
It didn't take long for the Turnover Chain to be unveiled for the Hurricanes this season. Here's hoping it'll be brought out many more times before the year ends.