Miami Football: Can Hurricanes get back to ACC title game in 2020?

Quincy Roche will have a huge impact defensively

The defense of the Miami Hurricanes also has a big addition through the transfer portal, as Temple defensive lineman, Quincy Roche, left the Owls to complete his career as a Hurricane. In his three years at Temple, Roche totaled 26 sacks, 39.5 tackles for loss and 102 tackles. He also forced six fumbles, recovered five fumbles and has six career pass breakups.

Initially, this transfer was huge as Roche was going to be paired with Gregory Rousseau, but is now being seen as a saving grace and as a perfect replacement with the latter opting out of the 2020 season due to the pandemic.

With Rousseau out, Roche will have high expectations of taking over as a leader of a defense that was ranked as one of the best in the nation in 2019. In fact, it was ranked 13th last season in total defense but lost several key players in all three levels of the defense, but most importantly at the linebacker position.

The Hurricanes have three games, followed by a bye week, to start off the season before they take on the Clemson Tigers, in what will be a tone-setting game for the 2020 season. So the defense will some time to get their issues on defense ironed out but cannot take their time on this matter or else is back to the drawing board for 2021.