Weather | Sports | Forums | Comics | Classifieds | Calendar | Movies

UM wideout enters draft

Roscoe Parrish was Miami's top receiver, catching 43 passes for 693 yards, and returned 2 punts for TDs.

MIAMI BEACH - Roscoe Parrish is ready to make more believers on football's biggest stage.

Parrish said Thursday that he'll skip his senior season at Miami and will enter the NFL draft, the fourth Hurricane in the last two seasons to come out early. And he expects teams to be more impressed by his speed than his lack of size.

"When I hear things like that I'm too small, it just pushes me harder," said the 5-foot-9, 172-pound Parrish, a Miami native. "It's like a motivator to me."

Parrish, who said his best time in the 40-yard dash is in the 4.2- to 4.3-second range, made the decision after seeing where the NFL's Draft Advisory Council expected him to be slotted on draft day. He wouldn't reveal what sort of projected window the league provided, other than saying he expects to be a high selection.

Parrish was Miami's top receiver this season, catching 43 passes for 693 yards. He also averaged 16.2 yards on punt returns, running two back for touchdowns, including one in the Hurricanes' 27-10 Peach Bowl victory over Florida on Dec.31. He was selected the co-MVP in that game.

"In a lot of ways, you're as good as your last game, and momentum's very important," said Drew Rosenhaus, the agent whom Parrish signed with Thursday. "I think teams put a lot of stock in how a player plays late in his career."

Parrish, the first player offered a scholarship by Larry Coker following his promotion to head coach four years ago, follows Sean Taylor, Kellen Winslow and Vince Wilfork - all first-round picks in 2004 - among those recently leaving Miami early.

Another Miami player, running back Frank Gore, also is considering whether to forgo his senior year and make himself eligible for the draft. Gore must announce his decision by Jan. 15.

CARROLL SAYS NO TO 49ERS: Southern California coach Pete Carroll, mentioned as a possible candidate for the San Francisco 49ers' coaching job, said he has no interest. "I have not been contacted, I don't expect to be contacted, and I'm not interested," Carroll said.

SYRACUSE SEARCH: The Buffalo Bills gave Syracuse permission to interview defensive coordinator Jerry Gray for its head coaching position that opened when Paul Pasqualoni was fired last week. Syracuse also is interested in Jets defensive coordinator Donnie Henderson.

CENTRAL FLORIDA: James Bernhardt was named running backs coach and recruiting coordinator. Bernhardt was the Golden Knights' director of football operations, serving in that role since the hiring of head coach George O'Leary in December 2003. Bernhardt replaces Brian Polian, who took over as Notre Dame's assistant defensive backs and special teams coach.

USF: The home-and-home series with North Carolina during the 2006-07 seasons was officially announced. The Bulls will play the Tar Heels in Chapel Hill on Sept.23, 2006, and UNC will travel to Raymond James Stadium on Sept.22, 2007. It's the second time in two weeks USF has landed a home-and-home with an Atlantic Coast Conference opponent, following a deal with Miami that includes a road game for USF in 2005. "South Florida has developed into a very competitive football program in just a short amount of time," UNC athletic director Dick Baddour said. "We look forward to playing in Tampa in an NFL stadium in 2007."