A multi-skilled offensive player has accepted a scholarship offer from the University of Hawaii football team.
Dedrick Parson, who can play running back or receiver, said he will join the Rainbow Warriors as a graduate transfer from Howard University. Parson will enroll this summer and have two years of eligibility.
Parson said he is 5 feet 8, 205 pounds and capable of running 40 yards in 4.9 seconds, squat-lifting 545 pounds, and bench-pressing 365 pounds. In 2018, he was named the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference’s freshman of the year after rushing for 706 yards and nine touchdowns.
In two seasons at Howard, Parson averaged 10.2 yards on 32 receptions. He also returned kickoffs (17.2 yards) and punts (20.5).
Howard’s 2020 season was postponed until next month, when the Bison are scheduled to play four games. But with several upperclassmen opting out or transferring, Parson decided to enter the transfer portal. During conversations with UH coaches, Parson said he pored through videos of the Warriors’ games and researched the program’s history.
“I saw how so many receivers and running backs are involved,” Parson said in a telephone interview with the Honolulu Star-Advertiser this past Saturday. “I also watched the defense and special teams. Everyone looked like they wanted to be there and wanted to play and wanted to win. I really did my research before I made my decision.”
Parson will be reunited with UH wide receivers coach Brennan Marion. In 2018, Marion was Howard’s offensive coordinator when Parson had his breakout season.
Marion “is one of my advisers in life,” Parson said. “He’s more than a coach to me. I look at him as family. He taught me about the offense. He got me involved. He told me from the beginning, ‘the best players are going to play.’ I proved myself.”
Parson, who grew up in Philadelphia, was in search of a school following his graduation from Imhotep Charter. Albie Crosby, a respected Philadelphia-area coach, helped Parson secure a walk-on invitation from Howard. “He said, ‘you’ll have to do the rest,’” Parson recalled. “I did the rest.”
After rushing for 148 yards against Morgan State and 149 against Florida A &M in 2018, Parson received a scholarship from Howard.
As for his UH role, Parson said, “I’m just a team player. I’ll fit wherever the team needs me.”