Miami football losing experience and leadership as Scott Patchan enters transfer portal

MIAMI, FL - SEPTEMBER 27: Joe Jackson #99 and Scott Patchan #19 of the Miami Hurricanes sack Chazz Surratt #12 of the North Carolina Tar Heels in the second quarter during the game between the Miami Hurricanes and the North Carolina Tar Heels at Hard Rock Stadium on September 27, 2018 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images)
MIAMI, FL - SEPTEMBER 27: Joe Jackson #99 and Scott Patchan #19 of the Miami Hurricanes sack Chazz Surratt #12 of the North Carolina Tar Heels in the second quarter during the game between the Miami Hurricanes and the North Carolina Tar Heels at Hard Rock Stadium on September 27, 2018 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images) /
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Defensive end Scott Patchan who started six games in 2019 and was granted a sixth season of eligibility for 2020 announced on Saturday afternoon via Twitter that he is leaving the Miami football program and entering the transfer portal.

Scott Patchan was a steady player for the Miami football program while dealing with injuries and a position change in two of his five seasons with the Hurricanes. Patchan switched to tight end for Miami in 2017 with the Hurricanes facing limited depth at the position. Miami loses experience and leadership with Patchan’s departure.

Patchan is a Miami football legacy. His father Matt was a member of the Hurricanes’ first two national championship teams in 1983 and ’87. As a fifth-year senior in 2019, Patchan recorded 33 tackles, six tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, one pass breakup and one fumble recovery while starting six games.

The addition of graduate transfer DE Quincy Roche to the Miami football roster on Monday to add to rising redshirt freshman Greg Rousseau and redshirt sophomore Jaelan Phillips would have limited Patchan’s playing time in 2020. Rousseau passed Patchan on the depth chart and became a starter for Miami midseason.

Phillips, Roche and Rosseau give Miami an exceptional rotation at DE heading into 2020. The Hurricanes will also have redshirt freshmen Jahfari Harvey and Cameron Williams ready to contribute this season. Miami should have one of the best rotation of edge rushers in the country.

The Hurricanes will miss Patchan’s consistency as run stopper plus his experience and leadership on the defensive line. The decision by Patchan to find another college football program to play for is more based on his desire to play. Patchan’s tenure at Miami should be remembered as one of the most dedicated Hurricanes in history.

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The depth for Miami at DE in 2020 will also be bolstered by the addition of three edge rushers in the 2020 signing class. Four-star DEs Chantz Williams and Elijah Roberts and three-star Quentin Williams provide Miami more production on the edge in the coming years. Roberts could potentially move inside to defensive tackle.