Ole Miss has brought back a familiar face to its running back room. Henry Parrish Jr. is back in Oxford after two seasons at Miami.

The transfer portal opened for undergraduate entry earlier this month, but Parrish had made his plans to enter known back in March. When Parrish opted for the portal over a third season with his hometown Miami Hurricanes, Ole Miss was the expected landing spot.

Parrish will be a fifth-year super senior this fall, using his COVID-19 waiver for an extra year of NCAA eligibility. He announced his commitment to Ole Miss on Monday via social media.

A former Miami Columbus standout, Parrish joined the Rebels as part of the 2020 recruiting class. As a true freshman, he played in 10 games, rushing 56 times for 263 yards and 2 touchdowns. The season does not count against his 4 years of eligibility.

In 2021, his workload increased to 105 carries for 553 yards and 3 scores over 13 games, adding 21 catches for 173 yards.

Running backs coach Kevin Smith left Ole Miss for the same position on Mario Cristobal’s Miami staff. Parrish followed Smith to Miami.

In his first season with the Hurricanes, Parrish logged a career-high 130 carries in 10 games for 616 rushing yards and 4 TDs. He also caught 17 passes for 120 yards and his first 2 receiving scores.

Smith returned to Ole Miss in 2023, but Parrish remained at Miami. Parrish posted the most productive numbers of his career, rushing 100 times for 625 yards and 6 scores.

Lane Kiffin boosting running back room via portal

Lane Kiffin’s Ole Miss program made all kind of headlines this offseason for its numerous splash additions via the portal. The Rebels, though, also lost a key player to the portal when Quinshon Judkins left for Ohio State.

While it helps to return Ulysses Bentley IV, the Rebels still entered the offseason needing depth in the running back room. Bentley had a standout redshirt freshman season at SMU (170 carries, 913 yards, 11 TD), but was more of a complementary back for the Rebels last season (95 carries, 540 yards, 4 TD).

Landing LSU transfer Logan Diggs was a good start to boosting the RB room. Diggs, though, is recovering from postseason surgery with an unclear timetable for return, Kiffin shared in March.

Parrish’s commitment was preceded by a recent announcement from Jacory Croskey-Merritt. Last season at New Mexico State, Croskey-Merritt rushed 189 times for 1,190 yards and 17 touchdowns.

While losing Judkins, the SEC’s rushing touchdown leader in 2023, undoubtedly stings, Ole Miss is putting together a running back room with multiple talented, capable ball-carriers.