Derek Parish

Houston’s coaching staff has started a tradition where the team selects which players can wear single-digit numbers. Ahead of the 2021 season, Derek Parish had his number switch from No. 31 to No. 0. “It was an honor,” Parish told the Houston Chronicle in 2021. “Each and every day I want to uphold the standard and make it better than the guy who wore it last year [current NFL linebacker Grant Stuard].” Parish is a defensive end and fullback for the Cougars, although his primary focus is on the defensive side of the ball. In 2020, he started at three different positions (defensive end, linebacker and fullback). He was named All-AAC second team in 2021. In high school, he was an On3 Consensus three-star recruit coming out of Pearland (Texas) High School.