Silverfield defends vetting of Tigers’ QB Parrish
Memphis coach Ryan Silverfield defended how he and school administrators vetted sophomore quarterback Peter Parrish, who was named in a report accusing him of raping a woman while at LSU last season.
USA Today reported Monday that Parrish, who transferred to Memphis in August, was suspended by LSU for a year after he was accused. The story added Parrish denied the allegations through his attorney and sued LSU alleging unfair treatment. He has also not been charged with any crime.
He withdrew the lawsuit in September after a judge "declined to temporarily lift his suspension."
"We're confident in our process, very thorough in the way we vet these young men," Silverfield said Monday during his weekly press conference. "Just like with any other student-athlete, we don't go into details about what that process looks like for each individual, and I think the reality is that's a school-wide policy is as well."
The report focused on how LSU mishandled sexual misconduct complaints against several students, including former running back Derrius Guice. In August, USA Today reported that two women accused Guice of raping them in 2016.
Parrish, a former four-star recruit, was named as an example of LSU disciplining an athlete accused of misconduct. His suspension was reported in March as a violation of team rules.
Parrish is ineligible for Memphis this season but is expected to compete for the starting job next season if Brady White elects not to return for a fourth season.
At Silverfield's introductory press conference in December, he wanted to create a program that set a environment with high standards where players and coaches know that everything matters, including how they respect women.
He stood behind the process that not only checked Parrish's background but the background of all players at Memphis as well as those who verbally commit to the university. It's a process he said he'd continue to stand by as long as he was head coach at Memphis
"With all of our student-athletes, we do a thorough investigation and process just like with anybody," Silverfield said, "even our current young men that are committed to us. ... We stand with all of our student-athletes, and I assume the rest of the sports do so as well."