Five players Miami football has to defend better in 2020

Several players had breakout performances against the Miami football team in 2019. The Hurricanes have to do a better job defending those players in 2020 to improve upon their dismal 6-7 record in 2019.

Several opposing players on the Miami Football schedule in 2019 were difference makers against the Hurricanes. If Miami is going to win games against those opponents in 2020, the Hurricanes are going to have to do a better job of defending those same players. The seven Miami losses in 2019 were by 51 points total.

Turning around their 2019 record will take making the right plays in critical situations and limiting big plays by opponents could significantly improve the Miami football record in 2020. The Hurricanes were close in 2019 to winning three to four more games. One opposing player was often the difference between a win and a loss.

The Miami football team returns several players of their own who are difference makers and have added three players who could have been the difference in several games between winning and losing in 2019. Rising redshirt sophomore defensive end Greg Rousseau was the 2019 ACC Rookie Defensive Player of the Year.

Rousseau finished the 2019 season with 54 tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss,15.5 sacks which leads all returnees in college football in 2020 and two forced fumbles. Temple graduate transfer Quincy Roche joins Rousseau on the defensive line to give the Miami football team an unmatched pair of edge rushers entering the 2020 season.

Houston graduate transfer D’Eriq King preceded Roche’s transfer to Miami and was one of the reasons the former Owls decided to articulate in Coral Gables. King has been analyzed throughout the offseason and is poised to be the most dynamic quarterback in Miami history. Kicker Jose Borregales transferred from FIU.