Parsons thinking SEC

Four-star tight end Mitchell Parsons has regrouped and is sufficiently rebounded from last month's de-commitment from Colorado. For a time, he was content to reopen his recruitment and let the process come to him. All interested schools were considered.

That time is over.

Parsons has narrowed his focus to include only Ole Miss and Vanderbilt. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the Parker (Colo.) Chaparral senior will play his college football in the SEC. Visits are set and a decision could come with haste. The time for "wide open" has passed.

While Parsons cleaned out his football locker for the final time on Monday afternoon, he ruminated on his narrowing options. At this stage in the process, he can't afford to bide his time. It's a fact that he's come to terms with.

So as he emptied the space he'd used for four years, the finite nature of his recruitment became quite clear.

"Vanderbilt and Ole Miss have been recruiting me a lot harder than [California] and Washington," Parsons said. "They have me call them at least once a week. Every time I talk to Vanderbilt, they've talked to my parents. Same with Ole Miss. They always want to talk to my parents. They seem like they genuinely care more.

"I haven't gotten an offer from Cal or Washington yet. I don't know why. I don't know if they want to do it in person or what. I don't know why."

And with that, the 230-pound high school senior is moving forward. These days, there's a sense of urgency in his voice. He's a player focused on action. Aggressive? You bet.

"I called Vanderbilt and asked if I could move my visit up to this weekend," he said. "They told me that they normally give compliance a couple weeks warning, but they were going to try to make it work. I'm going to find out today. If it works, I'll be at the Vanderbilt-Tennessee game this Saturday.

"If not, I'll be there on Jan. 18 for sure."

A trip to Ole Miss has been tentatively scheduled for Nov. 24 with a backup date of Jan. 25. And while Parsons said he's still open to pitches from Cal and Washington, he doesn't intend to wait for the underdogs to make up ground. He's moving forward with the process with or without the Huskies and Golden Bears.

"I like the idea of playing in the SEC," Parsons said. "Vanderbilt is on the way up. They just became bowl eligible for the second straight year, so that's a good thing. A Vanderbilt education is second to none. I've heard Oxford is amazing, too. I like the kind of football they play at Ole Miss and at Vanderbilt."

A commitment is expected shortly after Parsons wraps up his two SEC visits.