- Joined
- Feb 9, 2018
- Messages
- 3,076
As the Miami Hurricanes gear up for the Independence Bowl against Louisiana Tech, redshirt freshman DE Gregory Rousseau gave his thoughts on what he was expecting from the entire bowl experience in heading to Shreveport, Louisiana.
“Really just having fun with my teammates in a city I’ve never been before, it’s going to be pretty cool going around the city and seeing what they have to offer,” Rousseau said. “And then competing in the bowl game, it’s going to be pretty fun.”
Rousseau ended up leading the ACC in sacks (14) and TFL (18), but talked today about what it’s been like taking some time off from his hot season and now getting back into full practices.
“Just getting back into the groove, and just getting back there on Greentree, getting your body back in playing shape, which we’ve been doing over the break,” Rousseau said. “We’re ready to just go out there and have fun with each other, one last time for the year.”
Rousseau’s successful freshman campaign was made even more impressive in that he was coming off of a devastating ankle break that cost him the majority of last season.
“It’s been a blessing from the man above. I’m so thankful for the coaching staff, my teammates, the training staff that got me back from my ankle injury last year,” Rousseau said. “It’s a testament to the whole entire program and all my teammates, we always rally around each other when something like that happens. It really helped me bounce back real strong from that and I’m really grateful.”
During the bowl game against the Bulldogs, UM will be a little thin at defensive end, with both Trevon Hill and Jonathan Garvin sitting out to prepare for the NFL Draft. However, that gives Miami an opportunity to play some of their younger players as well.
“I’m going to miss those guys. I had a great time playing with them, I had such a great time learning from them. They were honestly a huge blessing in my life,” Rousseau said of Hill and Garvin. “As for the young dudes, I’m excited for Jahfari Harvey and Cam Williams and all them to grow, they’ve been looking real good on Greentree and I’m real excited for the future at that position, including myself.
“We’ve got a couple young DB’s, our young O-Linemen played all year, but we have the young D-Ends that are going to step in, young D-Tackles, linebackers. It’s going to be real fun to watch. We’ve got a whole bunch of young guys that are going to get some serious playing time and I’m excited for them.”
What has Rousseau seen from freshman DE Jahfari Harvey specifically?
“He’s gained so much ground. He’s so twitchy, Jahfari’s a freak athlete,” Rousseau said. “I really can’t wait to watch him play, he’s going to be great for sure.”
As the final game of the season, does winning this game take on any special importance for Rousseau?
“Momentum-wise and just having a good game and just finishing strong as a team, yeah, that’s what we need to do so we have some momentum for recruiting and going into the offseason, going into next season,” he said.
Of course, the early signing period for the 2020 class begins tomorrow, and Rousseau feels the coaches have been hard at work to get both local and national recruits to sign on to the program.
“I feel like our coaches do their best to recruit, but if a kid doesn’t want to stay home, you can’t make them stay home if they already had it made up in their mind,” Rousseau said. “But I think we’re doing the best we can to keep kids in-state and coming to the U.
“(Recruiting is) always important because you’re always trying to build, keep on stacking. That’s what great programs do. You can’t have one great class and then another one not that good, you know? You have to keep it at the top, and when you have 4 or 5 classes of top players, good things happen.”
One prospect expected to sign with Miami tomorrow is Champagnat-Catholic DB Jalen Harrell, a player from Rousseau’s alma mater who he knows well.
“That’s exciting for sure, I’m happy for him,” Rousseau said. “I know he’s ready for the opportunity and I’m ready for him to come in and I’m ready to watch him grow.”
With his 2019 breakout season coming to a close, Rousseau certainly won’t be sneaking up on anybody going into 2020, and he outlined some of his goals going into next season to make sure he keeps his production going strong.
“Just have to keep coming out here and getting better every single day, and just not plateauing, always staying hungry and staying humble of course, because that’s super important,” Rousseau said. “Just getting after it each and every day, whether it’s in class, in the weight room, on the field, it doesn’t matter. Just being the best person I can be.”
Rousseau played both off the edge and on the interior at times in 2019. Does he anticipate that dual role continuing into next season?
“Well it’s up to the coaches,” Rousseau said. “Whatever I can do to help the team, whether it’s playing inside, outside, I’m going to do it. But whatever I do, I’m going to have fun doing it.”
“Really just having fun with my teammates in a city I’ve never been before, it’s going to be pretty cool going around the city and seeing what they have to offer,” Rousseau said. “And then competing in the bowl game, it’s going to be pretty fun.”
Rousseau ended up leading the ACC in sacks (14) and TFL (18), but talked today about what it’s been like taking some time off from his hot season and now getting back into full practices.
“Just getting back into the groove, and just getting back there on Greentree, getting your body back in playing shape, which we’ve been doing over the break,” Rousseau said. “We’re ready to just go out there and have fun with each other, one last time for the year.”
Rousseau’s successful freshman campaign was made even more impressive in that he was coming off of a devastating ankle break that cost him the majority of last season.
“It’s been a blessing from the man above. I’m so thankful for the coaching staff, my teammates, the training staff that got me back from my ankle injury last year,” Rousseau said. “It’s a testament to the whole entire program and all my teammates, we always rally around each other when something like that happens. It really helped me bounce back real strong from that and I’m really grateful.”
During the bowl game against the Bulldogs, UM will be a little thin at defensive end, with both Trevon Hill and Jonathan Garvin sitting out to prepare for the NFL Draft. However, that gives Miami an opportunity to play some of their younger players as well.
“I’m going to miss those guys. I had a great time playing with them, I had such a great time learning from them. They were honestly a huge blessing in my life,” Rousseau said of Hill and Garvin. “As for the young dudes, I’m excited for Jahfari Harvey and Cam Williams and all them to grow, they’ve been looking real good on Greentree and I’m real excited for the future at that position, including myself.
“We’ve got a couple young DB’s, our young O-Linemen played all year, but we have the young D-Ends that are going to step in, young D-Tackles, linebackers. It’s going to be real fun to watch. We’ve got a whole bunch of young guys that are going to get some serious playing time and I’m excited for them.”
What has Rousseau seen from freshman DE Jahfari Harvey specifically?
“He’s gained so much ground. He’s so twitchy, Jahfari’s a freak athlete,” Rousseau said. “I really can’t wait to watch him play, he’s going to be great for sure.”
As the final game of the season, does winning this game take on any special importance for Rousseau?
“Momentum-wise and just having a good game and just finishing strong as a team, yeah, that’s what we need to do so we have some momentum for recruiting and going into the offseason, going into next season,” he said.
Of course, the early signing period for the 2020 class begins tomorrow, and Rousseau feels the coaches have been hard at work to get both local and national recruits to sign on to the program.
“I feel like our coaches do their best to recruit, but if a kid doesn’t want to stay home, you can’t make them stay home if they already had it made up in their mind,” Rousseau said. “But I think we’re doing the best we can to keep kids in-state and coming to the U.
“(Recruiting is) always important because you’re always trying to build, keep on stacking. That’s what great programs do. You can’t have one great class and then another one not that good, you know? You have to keep it at the top, and when you have 4 or 5 classes of top players, good things happen.”
One prospect expected to sign with Miami tomorrow is Champagnat-Catholic DB Jalen Harrell, a player from Rousseau’s alma mater who he knows well.
“That’s exciting for sure, I’m happy for him,” Rousseau said. “I know he’s ready for the opportunity and I’m ready for him to come in and I’m ready to watch him grow.”
With his 2019 breakout season coming to a close, Rousseau certainly won’t be sneaking up on anybody going into 2020, and he outlined some of his goals going into next season to make sure he keeps his production going strong.
“Just have to keep coming out here and getting better every single day, and just not plateauing, always staying hungry and staying humble of course, because that’s super important,” Rousseau said. “Just getting after it each and every day, whether it’s in class, in the weight room, on the field, it doesn’t matter. Just being the best person I can be.”
Rousseau played both off the edge and on the interior at times in 2019. Does he anticipate that dual role continuing into next season?
“Well it’s up to the coaches,” Rousseau said. “Whatever I can do to help the team, whether it’s playing inside, outside, I’m going to do it. But whatever I do, I’m going to have fun doing it.”
