At the end of a zoom call with reporters on Thursday afternoon head coach Manny Diaz informed Miami football beat reporters that redshirt sophomore defensive end Gregory Rousseau has chosen to not play the 2020 season.
Miami head coach Manny Diaz informed Miami football beat reporters, at the end of a zoom call on Thursday afternoon that redshirt sophomore defensive end Greg Rousseau has made the decision to not play the 2020 season to get ready for the NFL Draft. Rosseau is the latest college football star to opt out this season.
Rousseau had a breakout season in 2019 as a redshirt freshman in 2019 with 59 tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss and 15.5 sacks. Rousseau was second in the country in sacks in 2019 to Chase Young of Ohio State who was a Heisman Trophy finalist. Rousseau led all college football returnees in 2020 in sacks in 2019.
The loss of Rosseau can be looked at in two ways. Miami was expected to have one of the best pass rushes in the country in 2020 with the addition of 2019 American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year Quincy Roche and 2017 top recruit in the nation Jaelan Phillips to team with Rousseau.
The loss of Rousseau is devastating and takes away what would have been one of the best defensive lines potentially in Miami history. The positive is that the Hurricanes will still have an excellent pass rush with Roche, Phillips and redshirt freshman Jahfari Harvey who Miami is extremely high on.
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Miami also has redshirt freshman Cameron Williams and freshman Chantz Williams who have bright futures behind Roche, Phillips and Harvey. The top four rotation will be Roche, Phillips, Harvey and Cameron Williams. Chantz Williams might not be able to redshirt in 2020 with Rousseau deciding not to play.
Defensive end is arguably the deepest position on the Miami football team. Rousseau is an elite talent who is being projected to be selected in the top 10 in the 2021 NFL Draft. Losing a player of his caliber is very difficult. Having Phillips and Roche on the roster who are as close to as talented as Rousseau is a blessing for Miami.
The next man up mentality becomes essential for Phillips, Harvey and the two Williams. Rousseau joins stars such as Virginia Tech cornerback Caleb Farley, Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons and Minnesota wide receiver Rashod Bateman who are opting out for the 2020 season. This season is odd before it has started.