Two Days to Miami football: Quincy Roche and Don Chaney Jr. new blood
Graduate transfer defensive end Quincy Roche and freshman running back Don Chaney Jr. provide new blood to the Miami football program in 2020.
Temple graduate transfer defensive end Quincy Roche and freshman running back Don Chaney Jr. provide the Miami football program with a new infusion of talent in 2020. Roche should be the best edge rusher on the Hurricanes defense and Chaney will provide depth and explosiveness in the running game.
Roche is the top-rated returning pass rusher in college football. With Temple last season, Roche had 68 pressures, 19 tackles for loss and 13 sacks. That performance earned Roche the American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year. Roche will team with Jaelan Phillips and Jahfari Harvey to provide Miami a fierce pass rush.
The Hurricanes rebuilt edge rush hopes to top the 46 sacks Miami had in 2019 which was seventh nationally. Roche led the Temple pass rush to finish 16th in FBS. The addition of Roche to the Miami roster is larger than it was in January with the decision by redshirt sophomore Greg Rousseau to opt-out of the 2020 season.
Chaney Jr. is projected to be the third-team RB for Miami in 2020 behind junior Cam’Ron Harris and freshman Jaylan Knighton. Chaney appears to be recovered from what was reported as minor shoulder surgery during the offseason. Chaney fully participated in the three scrimmages Miami held during training camp.
No returning defender had more QB pressures than Quincy Roche last season🔥 pic.twitter.com/dy6JzPwg5k
— PFF College (@PFF_College) August 19, 2020
The running game for Miami should improve this season led by new offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee who calls his offense a power spread. Miami finished 120th in rushing yards per game in 2019, averaging 118.08. Based on what we have seen in the scrimmages, those numbers should go up in 2020.
Next. Rhett Lashlee allows players freedom to succeed. dark
The UAB defense will be a good test for Chaney and Miami. The Blazers allowed 118.21 yards per game in 2019. That was the 18th best rushing defense nationally last season. UAB did allow 100 yards on 21 carries and a TD in their opener against Central Arkansas. Chaney should have a productive freshman season.