Miami has one of the deepest DE rotations nationally. Redshirt freshman Greg Rousseau and graduate transfer Trevon Hill would start for most college football teams. Hill was on pace for an All-ACC season with Virginia Tech in 2018 before being dismissed. Rousseau is a freak athletically and a matchup nightmare for opposing offensive lines at 6’6.
Freshman Jahfari Harvey is listed as the third defensive end at both spots. The coaching staff is as confident in his play as a true freshman as they were with Rousseau in 2018 before the lanky end suffered a season-ending ankle injury. Chigozie Nnoruka and Jordan Miller are the second-team defensive ends against Florida.
Miller held off the true freshman trio of Jason Blissett, Jared Harrison-Hunte and Jalal Holley to likely be the fourth tackle in the rotation behind Bethel, Ford and Nnoruka. The Miami football program will be without sophomore DT Nesta Silvera who had foot surgery. He is expected back by early October.
The linebacking corps is going to provide the Miami defensive with consistency. Diaz and co-defensive coordinators Blake Baker and Ephraim Banda know what they are getting game in, game out. Pinckney and Quarterman were second and third on the team in tackles in 2018. McCloud saw a reduction in snaps, sharing playing time with Finley.