National experts expect big numbers from Greg Rousseau and Quincy Roche

A lot of the focus on the Miami football team during the 2020 offseason has been the teaming of rising redshirt sophomore Greg Rousseau and Temple graduate transfer Quincy Roche on the Hurricanes defensive line with the production they can have in 2020.

The potential for the Miami Hurricanes pass rush in 2020 is nearly limitless. Rising redshirt sophomore Greg Rousseau, Temple graduate transfer Quincy Roche and rising redshirt junior Jaelan Phillips give Miami the most talented group of pass rushers in the country. Several national experts have taken notice.

Greg Rousseau leads 2020 returnees nationally with 15.5 sacks in 2019. Roche was not far behind with 13 sacks. Miami finished tied for seventh in 2019 nationally with 46 sacks with ACC Coastal rival Virginia and Baylor. The Miami school record for sacks in a season is 52 by the 1989 National Championship team.

The 15.5 sacks Rousseau had in 2019 tied for second in Miami history. Another season with 15.5 sacks would put Rousseau second in Hurricanes’ history for a career in sacks. Kenard Lang is the only other Miami player in the top 10 in career sacks in school history that played less than four seasons.

Roche enters the 2020 season with 39.5 tackles for loss and 26 sacks for his career. Rousseau added 19.5 TFLs to the 15.5 sacks he had in 2019. The havoc that the Miami defensive line can create in 2020 will help the rest of the defense. Miami will have a new striker and needs the secondary to step up in 2020.

"GREGORY ROUSSEAU, DE, MIAMI247Sports’ take: Rousseau quietly recorded 19.5 tackles for loss and 15.5 sacks for the Hurricanes. He’s just a sophomore by class, but he’s already got two years in the system under his belt, so expect Rousseau to be the defensive end that puts up eye-popping numbers in 2020.Bleacher Report’s take: He’s already in the top 10 of most of the way too early 2021 NFL mock drafts thanks to 15.5 sacks. The only other freshmen (true or redshirt) in the past decade to account for more than 11.0 sacks in a season was Texas A&M’s Myles Garrett (11.5 in 2014).Two years later, he was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 draft, so you can perhaps appreciate the hype surrounding a guy who had four more sacks than Garrett."

Roche signed with Miami after being named second-team All-American by the Sporting News in 2019 with Rousseau and the American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year. Rousseau and Roche will now have the opportunity to work together to give Miami the best pair of pass rushers in the country.

Roche and Rousseau have a chance to be 2021 first-round draft picks. With Rousseau, Roche and Phillips rushing the passer in 2020, the Miami defense should be able to improve from being ranked 13th in total defense and 23rd in scoring defense in 2019. The second-year under Blake Baker the defense can improve.

"QUINCY ROCHE, DE, MIAMI247Sports’ take: A lot like his new teammate Gregory Rosseau, Roche put up some massive numbers in 2019…Roche had 19 tackles for loss and 13 sacks in his third year at Temple before transferring. The step up in competition will be a test for Roche, but it’d be tough to see a massive regression out of him.Bleacher Report’s take: Roche tallied 26.0 sacks over his past three seasons in Temple, half of those coming last year. Along with Rousseau and Oregon State’s Hamilcar Rashed Jr., Roche is one of just three returning players who racked up at least 12 sacks in 2019.Putting those two edge-rushing freight trains together is a terrifying proposition for opposing offensive lines."

Putting Roche, Rousseau and Phillips together should make the lines on offense and defense better in 2020. The results on the defensive line will be obvious. Playing against those three and rising redshirt freshman Jahfari Harvey in practice every day should also make the Miami offensive line better.

Miami is going to need Roche and Rousseau to help improve the offensive line. The Hurricanes need the offensive line to perform at a much higher level than they did in 2019. Roche and Rousseau will be the toughest competition they face all season. Behind Roche and Rousseau, the Miami defense should dominant.