The commitment of graduate transfer defense end Quincy Roche gives the Miami football program the best collection of edge rushers in the country.
The combination of graduate transfer defensive end Quincy Roche, rising redshirt sophomore Greg Rousseau and rising redshirt junior Jaelan Phillips gives the Miami football program the best collection of edge rushers in college football in 2020. The depth behind those three would start on most college football teams.
Rousseau was seventh in FBS with 19.5 tackles for loss and second with 15.5 sacks in 2019. Roche was 10th nationally with 19 TFLs and seventh with 13 sacks. Roche was fifth nationally averaging one sack per game.
The 2019 American Athletic Conference Player of the Year was named a First-Team All-American by Sports Illustrated. No other team in college football can claim two elite edge rushers with the accomplishments that Roche and Rousseau have had in their collegiate careers. They will be backed up by the top recruit nationally in 2017.
Phillips took the year off in 2019 to recover from injuries sustained while playing at UCLA in 2017 and ’18. In 10 games over two seasons with the Bruins, Phillips recorded eight tackles, 4.5 TFLs and two pass breakups. Phillips has the athleticism to challenge rising sophomore Sam Brooks at linebacker.
— Q. (@_Underated2) January 20, 2020
Sports Illustrated praised Roche when they named him as one of the four defensive linemen on their first-team All-America team. That team included Heisman Trophy Finalist Chase Young from Ohio State. Young finished a rare fourth in the iconic award as a defensive player.
"“Roche isn’t as familiar a name to casual fans as many others on this list, but his production speaks for itself. With 13 sacks, 44 tackles (33 solo) and a forced fumble, he was a major part of the Owls’ defense in 2019. “"
The addition of Roche to join Phillips and Rousseau is not the end of the plethora of talent Miami has at defensive end. Rising sixth-year senior Scott Patchan was granted an extra season of college football because of injuries and provides experience and maturity. Miami also has a deep group of freshmen edge rushers.
Jahfari Harvey played in four games as a true freshman in 2019 and will be a redshirt freshman for Miami in 2020. Harvey projects as the fourth defensive end in the Hurricanes rotation. Cameron Williams also redshirted for Miami in 2019. Miami further adds four-star incoming freshmen, Chantz Williams and Elijah Roberts.
Three-star incoming freshman defensive end Quentin Williams seems destined to redshirt for the Miami football team in 2020. At 6’3 267, Roberts could bulk up under the tutelage of Miami strength and conditioning coordinator David Feeley and move inside to play defensive tackle. Roberts is another potential redshirt in 2020.