Quincy Roche expected to be last Miami football opt out
Defensive ends Jaelan Phillips and Quincy Roche are expected to be the only opt-outs with the Miami football program for the December 29 Cheez-it bowl against Oklahoma State in Orlando.
The Miami football team is not expected to lose any more players after defensive ends Jaelan Phillips and Quincy Roche announced their decisions to declare for the NFL Draft and forego the remainder of their college eligibility including the December 29 Cheez-it Bowl against Oklahoma State.
During his weekly appearance on the Joe Rose Show on Monday morning, head coach Manny Diaz stated that adjusting to Phillips and Roche opting out for the Cheez-it Bowl is another adjustment the Miami football staff and players will have to make. Roche and Phillips have both had All-ACC worthy seasons.
Phillips leads Miami with 15.5 tackles for loss and eight sacks and is tied for the lead with Roche among Hurricanes defensive linemen with 45 tackles. Roche had 14.5 TFLs, 4.5 sacks and led Miami with three fumble recoveries after signing with Miami as a graduate transfer from Temple in January.
Roche and Phillips are expected to be first and second-day picks in the 2021 NFL Draft. The top signee nationally in 2017, Phillips has played himself into potentially the first DL chosen in the 2021 NFL Draft. Roche is projected to be a second or third-round draft choice. Diaz spoke about what to expect with Rose.
"“But like I said…it’s 2020. We’ll adjust to anything we have to adjust to. But I feel like the rest of the guys are set to play.’..Jaelan has done absolutely everything right for us this year…He has just been a model for our defense and for our program in terms of the effort he’s played with.We talked at the beginning of the year, said, ‘Guys, listen, if you’re going to make the jump, let’s go play great and make the jump by great platform and setting yourself up for a great draft day.’ And Jaelan has done that and Quincy has done the same thing.And obviously, Quincy being a senior is a different situation. That’s where we are at now with bowl games. It’s the new normal. We have seen this every year. But I’m excited about the guys we do have playing because that’s one of the side benefits now of what’s going on.You do have a little bit of the next man up and I think some guys get very excited about their opportunity to go shine.”Transcript courtesy of Susan Miller Degnan Miami Herald"
If Phillips is not the first edge rusher chosen in the 2021 NFL Draft, former Miami DE Greg Rousseau likely will be. Without Phillips and Roche, young Miami edge rushers will receive the most significant playing time of their careers. Jahfari Harvey and Cameron and Chantz Williams will share the snaps.
Phillips declaring for Draft provides young DEs experience. dark. Next
With Phillips and Roche receiving the vast majority of the playing time at DE this season Harvey and the two Williams will have the added pressure of receiving the most playing times of their careers in a bowl game. The remainder of the team expected to be at full strength per Diaz was critical news eight days before kickoff.