Ole Miss RB Henry Parrish Reveals Key For Rebels' Recovery Following Loss

Ole Miss Rebels running back Henry Parrish Jr. recently revealed the key for his team to bounce back from its upset loss over the weekend.

Sep 14, 2024; Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA; Mississippi Rebels running back Henry Parrish Jr. (21) runs against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons during the first half at Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images / Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

The Ole Miss Rebels suffered a head-scratching loss on Saturday at the hands of the Kentucky Wildcats, but running back Henry Parrish Jr. isn't phased by this outcome.

Parrish believes that the Rebels themselves are to blame for the upset loss, but he is ready to regroup this week as Ole Miss prepares to take on the South Carolina Gamecocks in a road SEC test.

"We beat ourselves," Parrish said on Monday. "We've just got to go out there with a mindset that it's us vs. us, not vs. the other team. We know what we have, and we have to go out there with the mindset that we're going to dominate the guy next to us."

Kentucky's defensive line had strength up the middle, but South Carolina presents a new kind of challenge this week. The strength of the Gamecocks' defense lies on the edge, and Parrish will be tasked with keeping quarterback Jaxson Dart upright when Carolina sends some pressure.

"I take [pass protection] with a passion, especially with Jaxson Dart next to me," Parrish said. "You have to protect the quarterback with your life, protecting him like your life depends on it. I go out there with a mindset that pass protection is key. I just have to do my job."

It's natural for questions about Ole Miss' future to arise after losing to an unranked opponent last week. The Rebels entered the year as a favorite to reach the 12-team College Football Playoff, and while that goal is certainly attainable, the margin for error became smaller after the final whistle on Saturday.

How does Parrish deal with the talk from fans and media? He focuses on his teammates.

"The guys in the building, that's who we need, and that's who we've got around us," Parrish said. "All the outside noise doesn't really mean anything. The guys in the building, we've got each other's back. We're the ones putting in the work daily."

Blocking out the outside noise and rebounding from a poor performance last week will be key for the Rebels as they take on the Gamecocks and look to right the ship in conference play. Kickoff on Saturday in Columbia is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. CT, and the game will be televised on ESPN.