It didn’t take long for Lane Kiffin and his staff’s Florida connections to pay off as new running backs coach Kevin Smith has reeled in his first playmaker at running back.
Four-star Henry Parrish, who was previously committed to Pittsburgh, has verbally committed to the Rebels over notable offers from Florida, Florida State, Iowa, Miami, Michigan, Oregon, Penn State, Tennessee, and Utah.
"I love it," Parrish said Sunday. "I fell in love with it. I felt like it's my home for the next 3-4 years. It just won me over."
The nation’s No. 155 overall player seemed to be considering staying close to home as Florida was seemingly making him a priority, but Kiffin and Smith made good on the relationship that was developed after being Parrish’s first offer while at FAU.
Columbus High School’s all-time leading rusher chose to decommit from the Panthers and wait to sign in February. That opened the door for Ole Miss and their new staff. The Miami, Fla. native officially visited Boca Raton in 2018 and that bond clearly carried over two years later as the Rebs have yet another game-changing back, joining in-state dynamo Kentrel Bullock.
"Coach Smith is real," Parrish said. "I've been looking for that from the jump. Coach Smith is real to me and I can be real back. That's it, really."
Parrish had a visit scheduled to Oregon but he has canceled it.
"My recruitment is 100 percent over," Parrish said.,
The newest 2020 commit ran for 1,878 yards as a junior but really exploded this season as a senior. Parrish scooted for 2,319 yards and 28 touchdowns this season, leading the Explorers to an 11-4 record and dramatic, last-second 8A state title win over perennial power Apopka. In his career at Columbus, Henry raced for 4,653 yards and 33 touchdowns in just 36 games, etching his name atop the record book.
The newest Rebel burst into the limelight way back in August when one of his 28 touchdown runs went viral and making Sportscenter’s Top 10.
After that primetime moment, Parrish continued to utilize his exceptional vision and toughness in 2019 to lead Columbus to their first ever state title. He is a crafty runner, setting up blocks well, running behind his pads, and turning on the jets to run away from defenders in the openfield.
He also has the versatility you want in a running back in this day and age with wide-open spread offenses and the running back being an extension of the pass game. That flexibility came in handy when Columbus needed a play to win a championship. And Parrish delivered.
Don’t let the 5-foot-9, 175-pound frame fool you; Parrish packs a punch as well. He, along with the aforementioned Bullock, give the Rebels quite the duo to go along with Snoop Conner and Jerrion Ealy.
"I love to compete," Parrish said. "I love competition. I'm from Miami, so growing up, I loved to compete. I look at different backs and just compete. I'm never running from any competition."
This is the first of what the Ole Miss staff hopes is many Sunshine State dominoes to fall in 2020 and beyond.
