Rousseau Named to FWAA All-America Second Team
CORAL GABLES, Fla. — University of Miami redshirt freshman defensive end Gregory Rousseau added to a growing list of postseason accolades when he was named to the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) All-America Second Team Thursday.
One of the nation’s top defensive ends, Rousseau was named to the All-ACC First Team and was selected as ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year earlier in December.
Rousseau enjoyed a breakout campaign in his first season as a starter. The Coconut Creek, Fla., native finished with an ACC-leading 14 sacks – a total tied for second-most in the nation – and was tied for 10th in the country with 18 tackles for loss at the conclusion of the regular season.
Rousseau’s selection marks the second straight year the Hurricanes have produced an All-American defensive lineman; Gerald Willis III was named a second-team All-American by several outlets last season.
Rousseau had at least one sack in eight games and had five performances with multiple tackles for loss. The redshirt freshman became the second Hurricane to ever win ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year honors, joining former linebacker Sean Spence, who took home the award in 2008.
Among Rousseau’s top performances of the year came in his first-ever appearance versus rival Florida State on the road in Tallahassee, Fla., on Nov. 2. Rousseau finished the game with a career-high five tackles for loss and four sacks in a dominant win, earning Walter Camp National Defensive Player of the Week and ACC Defensive Lineman of the Week honors for his performance.
In his first start as a Hurricane on Oct. 11 versus Virginia, Rousseau had seven tackles, two tackles for loss, one 10-yard sack and a forced fumble. He had a three-sack game in a win over Pittsburgh on Oct. 26 and had two sacks in Miami’s regular season finale at Duke on Nov. 30.
