Defensive end Quincy Roche made a decision to transfer to the Miami football program in part because of the Hurricanes’ fast, aggressive defense. Roche compared the Miami defense to what he played during his three years at Temple.
The addition of former Temple defensive end Quincy Roche to All-American Greg Rousseau and the top recruit in the nation in 2017, Jaelan Phillips and the defense for the Miami football team features the deepest group of edge rushers in the country. Roche transferring to play in a defense he is comfortable with will help.
Roche comes to Miami as one of the best pass rushers in college football. The 2018 American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year had 49 tackles, 19 tackles for loss, 13 sacks and five pass breakups in 2019. Rousseau posted even more prolific numbers in 2019 with 54 tackles, 19.5 TFLs and 15.5 sacks.
Roche and Rousseau are near locks to start at defensive end. The announcement by Scott Patchan last week that he is entering the transfer portal leaves the likelihood that Phillips and rising redshirt freshman Jahfari Harvey will rotate in behind Roche and Rousseau. A strong group of freshmen edge rushers will provide depth.
Game planning for a Miami defense upfront that will feature Rousseau, Roche and Phillips will be extremely difficult for opposing offensive coordinators. On passing downs, Rousseau could slide inside the play defensive tackle with Roche and Phillips as the edge rushers. Roche spoke about the similarities between Temple and Miami.
.@Qr9____ is ready to be a part of a high-intensity, high-motor defense as he finishes his college career at The U.
— Miami Hurricanes Football (@CanesFootball) January 25, 2020
More on Roche and @DeriqKing_ from @ChristyChirinos: https://t.co/F5NfkXz0mg pic.twitter.com/awSYe7RQNu
"“I kind of played in a fast, aggressive defense…So, [Miami] reminds me of a lot of the same things. Fast, aggressive, high-energy, that’s what I’m used to. I think that will kind of make this transition smooth.”"
Roche compared the defense he played in at Temple and what Manny Diaz runs in an interview with Christy Cabrera Chirinos of HurricaneSports.Com. Roche and transfer quarterback D’Eriq King add experience and leadership to a young Miami football roster. Roche spoke about is leadership style.
"“I want to come in and just mesh with the team, start building the chemistry. My leadership style is that I’m a leader by example…I just want to exhibit the right thing so people can look at me and say, ‘I want to go that way. I want to do the right thing.’ It’s a big deal. This program is historic.It has a lot of history and the ‘U’ on the side of your helmet, that’s a big deal to me. I’m just trying to make the best of it.”"
King knows all about game planning for Roche. He played against him when he led the offense at Houston and Roche was playing at Temple. An opposing offensive coordinator is going to have to account for where Roche and Rousseau are at all times. King spoke about his newest teammate.
"“He was in the game plan every single year. We tried to know where he was at all times. … Just getting away from him is a task. You have to do the best you can do.”"
Bruce Feldman of The Athletic who is a Miami alum is more excited about the potential of the Hurricanes pass rush pairing Roche and Rousseau. On The Athletic Podcast,
, with Stewart Mandel, Feldman discussed the potential that the Miami defense has in 2020.
"“What I do think is interesting is that they could have the nastiest pass rush in the country. Quincy is a big time difference maker and you add him with Gregory Rousseau, who was arguably the best freshman defensive lineman in the country and was really disruptive…The guy that I think a lot of people have forgotten about is Jaelan Phillips, who transferred from UCLA. ‘We will know more about what his frame of mind is and where he is at after spring ball, but he is as freaky as any defensive lineman in college football.If he is ready, you put those three guys…that is a reason to be optimistic on that side of the ball.”"
Roche is enrolled and ready to get to work with Miami Strength and Conditioning Coordinator David Feeley and Roche know each other well. Feeley was hired by Manny Diaz to be the Hurricanes Strength and Conditioning Coordinator after his 18-day stint as the head coach at Temple.
Feeley spent two seasons overseeing the Owls strength and conditioning program for football. Those came during Roche’s freshman and sophomore years. Roche has quickly earned praise in Coral Gables for his hard work with the Miami players. Roche will first put on a Miami football uniform for the spring in March.