Next steps after RB Henry Parrish's departure

Mar 19, 2024

Henry Parrish, Miami’s leading rusher the past few seasons, has entered the Portal. In 2022, Parrish made third-team All ACC with 617 yards, 4.7 yards per carry and 4 TDs. Behind an improved OL in 2023, his efficiency jumped up to 6.3 yards per carry while improving his yardage (625 yards) and TDS (6). I spoke on Parrish and Miami’s next steps on the CanesInSight Daily Podcast.

On Parrish’s next destination: My strong suspicion is that he's going to be transferring right back to where he transferred from, the Ole Miss Rebels. Kevin Smith, the coach that recruited him to Ole Miss, came to Miami, brought him here. Kevin Smith's back at Ole Miss. I suspect he will take Henry Parrish back there. Was there tampering involved? I don't know. Let people fill in the blanks on that one.

On Parrish the player: Tough loss, in my opinion, for the Canes. This is somebody who wasn't the most spectacular player, but I think he was underrated. Led the ACC in yards per carry (min. rushes - 100) with 6.3 yards. So he was very efficient as a runner. Now, that 6.3 yards per carry didn't involve 60 yard touchdowns and game-breaking plays. Just a lot of eight, 10 yard runs and and very few losses because he was so slippery. Was he a franchise back? Was he Clinton Portis or anything like that? No, but he's a very useful back. That's why Ole Miss, which is a top 10 team, is taking him back happily.

On Miami’s next steps: This is not unexpected for the Canes. You heard me on the podcast yesterday saying Miami is going to be aggressive in pursuing help in the portal or running back. Didn't want to let the cat out of the bag with this one just in case Parrish changed his mind, but most people knew he was out. Miami is going to aggressively pursue a running back in the portal. I expect them to aim high and look for an impact-type player.

Miami wanted Parrish back, but they see the same thing as everybody else. We need to get to a certain standard at running back that is elite. Parrish is a good player. Anyone would have loved to have him. Ole Miss is lucky to have him. But the hope is we can get to that elite standard at running back to match what we have on the offensive line. I expect Miami to aim high at the running back position, just like they aimed high at the quarterback position.

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Bunker Mentality

Mar 20, 2024

plenty of RBs should have interest in a nice bag to stand beside Cam Ward.

Last edited: Mar 20, 2024

Brains

Mar 20, 2024

We're good. Citizen will have 500 carries for 4,000 yards and 3 Heismans.

Derrick Griffin

Mar 20, 2024

How y’all feel about Ashton Jeanty?

B
bshaw28

Mar 20, 2024

ScharfCane said:
Ott could easily change his mind now and enter the portal. We’ve seen kids nowadays change their minds all the time. I would not be surprised if he enters after Cal does not meet his NIL needs…

I suppose Ott or any player change their mind at any time. The speculation and names people are throwing out right now are kind of wild.

In the last couple years there hasn't been much quality post-spring. Like last year when we added Allen last Spring, there just wasn't that much out there at that time.

As D$ said "I expect them to aim high". Well yes, that should go without saying we'll aim high. But that doesn't mean there's some plan already in place or there will be much to choose from.

Who knows - Mario has pulled off some unexpected gets before. I do like that he's gonna keep taking swings until the RB room looks right.

JZCane0825

Mar 20, 2024

If they're going be taking a similar approach to RB that they did to QB then no one should be off the table. I'm sure Ward will be part of the pitch in addition to a substantial NIL bag

Cookie917

Mar 20, 2024

bshaw28 said:
I suppose Ott or any player change their mind at any time. The speculation and names people are throwing out right now are kind of wild.

In the last couple years there hasn't been much quality post-spring. Like last year when we added Allen last Spring, there just wasn't that much out there at that time.

As D$ said "I expect them to aim high". Well yes, that should go without saying we'll aim high. But that doesn't mean there's some plan already in place or there will be much to choose from.

Who knows - Mario has pulled off some unexpected gets before. I do like that he's gonna keep taking swings until the RB room looks right.

IDK man, just feel like something is brewing. D$ (and others) knew about Parrish leaving, talks about Miami looking for a Cam Ward type talent. I know D$ feeds us some koolaid during spring ball but no reason to hype up a would be transfer for no reason. Could have just left it at they will be aggressive or aim high as you said which is basic coach speak.

Then Josh Pate posts about Parrish leaving and says Miami will backfill that spot adequately post spring. Pate does not really highlight transfers unless it is a big name guy (downs, Proctor, Ward, etc.) so for him to pick up Parrish, a good but not great back and already comment about his replacement was odd. Then he comments about how Proctor going back to Bama isnt even the top 3 rumors he has heard when it comes to the spring portal (could be related to us, could be nothing)

Then d$ re-opens the portal board, which I believe he closed it because he thought there would not be enough traffic once fall portal closed. I doubt a 20-age thread on Parrish is what moved the needle, I think something more is coming. Again, could be nothing, we apparently had deep talks with Worthy and Flowers but nothing materialized. IDK just seems like a lot of smoke.

Cane44

Mar 20, 2024

I think D even knows a name or two that are being rumored, cuz he's hinting just too much and directly pointing out Cam Ward's level pull.....

SWFLHurricane

Mar 20, 2024

Cookie917 said:
IDK man, just feel like something is brewing. D$ (and others) knew about Parrish leaving, talks about Miami looking for a Cam Ward type talent. I know D$ feeds us some koolaid during spring ball but no reason to hype up a would be transfer for no reason. Could have just left it at they will be aggressive or aim high as you said which is basic coach speak.

Then Josh Pate posts about Parrish leaving and says Miami will backfill that spot adequately post spring. Pate does not really highlight transfers unless it is a big name guy (downs, Proctor, Ward, etc.) so for him to pick up Parrish, a good but not great back and already comment about his replacement was odd. Then he comments about how Proctor going back to Bama isnt even the top 3 rumors he has heard when it comes to the spring portal (could be related to us, could be nothing)

Then d$ re-opens the portal board, which I believe he closed it because he thought there would not be enough traffic once fall portal closed. I doubt a 20-age thread on Parrish is what moved the needle, I think something more is coming. Again, could be nothing, we apparently had deep talks with Worthy and Flowers but nothing materialized. IDK just seems like a lot of smoke.

Plenty is Brewing...

M
mirvin88

Mar 20, 2024

**** I would be stoked if we just got Riley back from BAMA. Has that transfer window closed?

Cookie917

Mar 20, 2024

mirvin88 said:
**** I would be stoked if we just got Riley back from BAMA. Has that transfer window closed?

Fall yes but spring is coming. Typically the Spring window is not as crazy as Fall, but it does allow some people to get degrees (i.e graduation is in May) finish up the semester then come to a program in time for summer or fall,

J
Joshchevy

Mar 20, 2024

Derrick Griffin said:
How y’all feel about Ashton Jeanty?

Is this a possibility?

Mar 20, 2024

@DMoney any consideration given to Elijah Lofton in the RB rotation?

hoops156

Mar 20, 2024

Brains said:
We're good. Citizen will have 500 carries for 4,000 yards and 3 Heismans.

i dont think well ever see him play a snap here. i assume were bringing in a RB transfer (pate was hinting at this) as the parrish move was basically expected (herald and gaby had their stories already drafted but just waited if mario convinced parrish to stay). w the recruiting class coming up, i think well be okay

grover

Mar 20, 2024

cway313 said:
Does this mean a Judkins caliber or Allen/Parrish caliber.

Totally unacceptable if it's Allen/Parris caliber. Why even let Chaney/Parris leave if that's the case. Both of them were repped as great teammates and bought into the culture. And why the Pate cryptic comment?

Cane44 said:
I think D even knows a name or two that are being rumored, cuz he's hinting just too much and directly pointing out Cam Ward's level pull.....

Just hope it's a Tyrique situation, not a Mikel Jones situation.

cway313

Mar 20, 2024

grover said:
Totally unacceptable if it's Allen/Parris caliber. Why even let Chaney/Parris leave if that's the case. Both of them were repped as great teammates and bought into the culture. And why the Pate cryptic comment?

Just hope it's a Tyrique situation, not a Mikel Jones situation.

I'll believe it when I see it.

Mar 20, 2024

If they add someone through the portal it better be a sure-fire starter and immediate upgrade. What's it say about the 6 RBs already on the team if the staff's reaction to Parrish leaving is to scramble and find a replacement in the portal?

B
bshaw28

Mar 20, 2024

Cookie917 said:
IDK man, just feel like something is brewing. D$ (and others) knew about Parrish leaving, talks about Miami looking for a Cam Ward type talent. I know D$ feeds us some koolaid during spring ball but no reason to hype up a would be transfer for no reason. Could have just left it at they will be aggressive or aim high as you said which is basic coach speak.

Then Josh Pate posts about Parrish leaving and says Miami will backfill that spot adequately post spring. Pate does not really highlight transfers unless it is a big name guy (downs, Proctor, Ward, etc.) so for him to pick up Parrish, a good but not great back and already comment about his replacement was odd. Then he comments about how Proctor going back to Bama isnt even the top 3 rumors he has heard when it comes to the spring portal (could be related to us, could be nothing)

Then d$ re-opens the portal board, which I believe he closed it because he thought there would not be enough traffic once fall portal closed. I doubt a 20-age thread on Parrish is what moved the needle, I think something more is coming. Again, could be nothing, we apparently had deep talks with Worthy and Flowers but nothing materialized. IDK just seems like a lot of smoke.

I certainly hope that's the case and I'm not saying it isn't.

IMO saying "we're going to be aggressive for an impact player" and we'll "adequately replace Parrish" is a bit cryptic and open to interpretation.

You can make the argument we "aggressively" went after a transfer RB last Spring, got Ajay Allen, who was an "impact player" for us last year and is "an adequate replacement" for Parrish.

I like both Allen & Parrish - but these aren't the splash type guys people seem to be expecting.

Until I see a RB in the portal that's a level-up from Parrish, or someone in the know actually says/predicts we're landing a level-up RB, I'm expecting a lateral RB. But...it's a lot more fun to speculate it means one of the top RB's in the country is coming here - I get it.

But historically, there's much more talent in the portal in Dec/Jan than there is in April/May. So it'll probably be tough - but we only need 1.

JZCane0825

Mar 20, 2024

rok said:
If they add someone through the portal it better be a sure-fire starter and immediate upgrade. What's it say about the 6 RBs already on the team if the staff's reaction to Parrish leaving is to scramble and find a replacement in the portal?

I think the staff was going to try to find a true RB1 in the portal to pair with Fletcher regardless of what Parrish did

WeBallinBoyz

Mar 20, 2024

Martínez also makes sense just from the situation Oregon St finds themselves in as a program. He’s too good to be on a team that doesn’t have real postseason aspirations. He’s originally a Texas kid from outside Dallas so not saying Miami is close to home, but Oregon is pretty far.

I still think it ends up being Donaldson, which in my eyes wouldn’t necessarily be categorized as a Cam Ward-esque pickup. Good for sure, but not great.

Guys like Martinez, Jeanty, Taj Brooks, Ott and Quinton Cooley would fit the mold imo.

Cookie917

Mar 20, 2024

bshaw28 said:
I certainly hope that's the case and I'm not saying it isn't.

IMO saying "we're going to be aggressive for an impact player" and we'll "adequately replace Parrish" is a bit cryptic and open to interpretation.

You can make the argument we "aggressively" went after a transfer RB last Spring, got Ajay Allen, who was an "impact player" for us last year and is "an adequate replacement" for Parrish.

I like both Allen & Parrish - but these aren't the splash type guys people seem to be expecting.

Until I see a RB in the portal that's a level-up from Parrish, or someone in the know actually says/predicts we're landing a level-up RB, I'm expecting a lateral RB. But...it's a lot more fun to speculate it means one of the top RB's in the country is coming here - I get it.

But historically, there's much more talent in the portal in Dec/Jan than there is in April/May. So it'll probably be tough - but we only need 1.

Agreed, that is why I honed in on the "Cam Ward" type of pickup. He was without a doubt top 2 in the QB transfer market and the top 2 were far and ahead of #3. As far as Pate, I thought the tweet itself spoke more than him saying "adequate" as in he doesnt tweet about every transfer so why tweet about parrish unless he is bookmarking something to pull a receipt later.

Also agree Fall is typically when you see the bigger influx but who knows but like you said we just need that one.