The Miami turnover chain is back -- only bigger and gaudier than a season ago.
What makes it more special is the person handing it out.
The chain made its season debut in the Hurricanes' home opener against Savannah State on Saturday, when Trajan Bandy recovered a fumble in the second quarter. Instead of an orange and green encrusted U, the Cuban gold link chain features a blinged-out Sebastian the Ibis, the team's mascot.
The new turnover chain weighs nearly 7 pounds, about 2 pounds heavier than last year's version, and is 8.5 inches long, 3 inches longer than last year's. There are more than 4,000 stones used to decorate the Ibis. Compare that with last year's chain, in which the U had 450 orange and 400 green stones.
Defensive coordinator Manny Young hinted during the offseason that the team might make changes to the original chain, which Miami unveiled last season.
Malek Young, the first person to wear the original turnover chain, rushed over and placed it on Bandy's neck. Young can no longer play football after sustaining a career-ending neck injury in the bowl game against Wisconsin, but he remains on scholarship and serves as a student assistant.
Bandy took Young's place in the starting lineup.