Parrish was previously the head coach at Wabash College, Kansas State and Marshall University.

He was an offensive coordinator at Ball State and the University of Michigan, and had a lengthy career working primarily with quarterbacks.

The following year, the Thundering Herd went undefeated at home and earned a #3 NCAA Division I-AA national ranking early in the season before fading to a 7–3–1 record.

Parrish left Marshall following the 1985 season to take the head coaching job at Kansas State University.

After leaving Kansas State, Parrish served as an assistant head coach at Rutgers University from 1990 to 1995.

In 2002, he tutored starting quarterback Brad Johnson, who led Tampa Bay to a 12–4 regular-season record and the first Super Bowl title in the franchise's history.

Hoke used this success as a springboard to securing the head coaching job at San Diego State, resigning prior to the team's appearance in the GMAC Bowl.

Stan Parrish was named the interim head coach when English was fired after a 1–8 start to the 2013 season.

[9] Note: Parrish served as head coach for Ball State in the 2009 GMAC Bowl after Brady Hoke stepped down.

Note: Parrish served as interim head coach for Eastern Michigan after Ron English was fired.