Miami football team will continue among leaders in sacks and TFLs in 2020

In the four years in the Manny Diaz defense, the Miami football team has been among the leaders nationally in tackles for loss and sacks. Expect that trend to continue in 2020.

The return of Greg Rousseau, the addition of former UCLA transfer defensive end/linebacker Jaelan Phillips who sat out in 2019 and fortification from several young players ready to step up at tackle and end the defensive line for the Miami football team should continue to be dominant in 2020.

Rousseau is back for his redshirt sophomore season with the Miami football team in what could be his last season in green and orange. Rousseau was one of the biggest breakout players in college football in 2019. The former Champagnat-Catholic star finished seventh in FBS with 19.5 tackles for loss and second with15.5 sacks.

Rousseau’s performance for Miami in 2019 was exceptional and impressive. The only player who had more than the 15.5 sacks Rousseau had was Chase Young of Ohio State. Young finished fourth in the Heisman Trophy after recording 21 TFLs and 16.5 sacks. Phillips and a possible new addition will be across from Rousseau.

Phillips was the nation’s top signee in the Class of 2017 at UCLA. He suffered various injuries including problems with concussions that limited him in his two seasons at UCLA. Phillips will have two years of eligibility remaining in Miami. With a breakout season in 2020, Phillips could leave for the NFL.

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Quincy Roche who is one of the nation’s best players in the transfer portal could join the Miami football roster. Roche’s numbers were nearly as productive as Rousseau’s in 2019. Roche had 49 tackles,19 TFLs, 13 sacks, five pass breakups and two fumble recoveries in 2019. Rousseau, Roche and Phillips could form the best DE unit in FBS.

Not to be lost in the shuffle with the above players are the returnees and additions to the Miami football roster upfront for 2020. Senior Jon Ford and junior Nesta Silvera are likely to be the first-team defensive tackles for Miami this fall. Ford had a disappointing 2019 with just 18 tackles, 3.5 TFLs and three sacks.

Entering his senior season Ford should have a sense of urgency like Gerald Willis did in an All-American 2017 season. Ford has the talent to play in the NFL and scouts like his size but he has to prove he can be productive to have a chance to make an NFL roster in 2021. Silvera missed four games in 2019 after foot surgery.

Silvera was nearly as productive as Ford despite missing a third of the 2019 season. The intense defensive tackle had 19 tackles, one TFL and one sack last season. Miami likes the depth at defensive tackle behind Ford and Silvera.

Rising sophomore Jason Miller and rising freshmen Jared Harrison-Hunte, Jalal Holley and Jason Blissett are all expected to be a part of the rotation. Miller and Blisset will likely play more than Harrison-Hunte and Holley. There is plenty of depth at defensive end behind Rousseau and Phillips.

Scott Patchan is back for his sixth season after receiving an extra season due to injuries. Patchan started early in 2019 before Rosseau forced the coaching staff’s hand with his dominant play. The son of a former Miami football player is solid against the run and finished with 33 tackles, six TFLs and 2.5 sacks in 2019.

Jahfari Harvey redshirted in 2019 but had a chance to play in four games including the Independence Bowl. The Miami coaching staff is as high on Harvey as they were a year ago on Rousseau. Miami will also add Cameron Williams who sat out all of 2019 as a redshirt and signed three incoming DEs in the Class of 2020.

Miami finished the 2019 season tied for sixth in tackles for loss with108 and sacks with 46. With Diaz as defensive coordinator from 2016-18 and head coach in 2019, the biggest constant has been the Hurricanes presence in opponents backfields. The Hurricanes will continue to make that a trend in 2020.