What Does Former Miami RB Henry Parrish Jr. Bring To Ole Miss' Offense In Round 2?

After spending two years with the Miami Hurricanes, Henry Parrish Jr. is back with the Ole Miss Rebels in the hunt for a College Football Playoff berth.

Home is where the heart lies for some players. For Henry Parrish Jr., it always belonged in Oxford.

Well, maybe it belonged with Ole Miss running back coach Kevin Smith, who probably played in a role his return to The Grove.

Two years after leaving the Rebels to join Mario Cristobal at Miami, Parrish is back for one more season, officially announcing his intent to return on Monday. Ole Miss has been actively looking for running back depth ever since the second transfer portal wave opened last week.

So far, Lane Kiffin's secured two tailbacks, including former New Mexico standout Jacory Croskey-Merritt, leaving no stone unturned in the race to make the College Football Playoff next season.

Parrish might be a change-of-pace option, but that could be a positive for Ole Miss and a nightmare for opposing defenses. The Rebels enter 2024 with four stable options in the backfield, but no difference-maker like Quinshon Judkins, who elected to transfer to Ohio State following the Peach Bowl.

What the Rebels lack in productivity, they make up for in versatility. Ulysses Bentley IV has proven to be a constant third-down option. Croskey-Merritt averaged 6.3 yards with the Lobos last season and carried the rock nearly 200 times.

Parrish, who last season served as the lead option for the Hurricanes last season, already has an understanding of Kiffin's offense from his first go-around in Oxford. He was also a reliable pass-catching option for Matt Corral and later Tyler Van Dyke, especially on third down.

During the 2021 season, Parrish caught 21 passes for 173 yards with Ole Miss. A year later, he totaled 17 receptions for 120 yards and two touchdowns in his first season as a Hurricane.

LSU transfer Logan Diggs could be another highlight-reel runner in space, but he's currently on the injured list after undergoing knee surgery at the start of the offseason. His timetable remains a mystery, and Kiffin won't push him back just to have a runner of Judkins' potential headline his offense.

Nov 24, 2023; Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA; Miami Hurricanes running back Henry Parrish Jr.

Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports

Parrish followed Smith to Coral Gables after a promising 2021 season. With Smith back in the fold, it should be more of the same. Last season, Parrish totaled 625 yards and six touchdowns on 100 carries. He averaged 6.3 yards per attempt.

Ole Miss doesn't need a Judkins-esque runner to be successful, but it wouldn't hurt the cause. If anything, the Rebels need stability and consistency. Parrish, who totaled 11 carries or more in five games last season, should suffice in that department.

He also was a Third-Team All-ACC member in 2022 after rushing for rushing for a career-high 617 yards and four touchdowns under Smith's teaching. That might be enough to catapult the Rebels to 10-plus wins so long as Diggs, Bentley, Croskey-Merritt, or Kedrick Reescano serve as complementary piece.

Ole Miss returns its key offensive targets, including Jaxson Dart. Tre Harris, Caden Prieskorn and Jordan Watkins. The Rebels also added another option in the passing game with South Carolina's Juice Wells, who should fill the void left by Dayton Wade.

There are few questions surrounding a roster filled with veteran talent. Parrish, who enters his fifth and final season, knows what the goal is in Oxford.

He could be the last piece to put the Rebels firmly in the contention category.