SOONER'S FUTURE
Humphrey says shot at national title could lure him back for another year
Creed Humphrey says the possiblity of a national championship could lure him back for another year
NORMAN—Creed Humphrey could've left last year, might've been a firstround draft pick.
But the OU center decided to come back, and give another run at bringing an eighth national championship to Norman.
Things didn't work out like that, thanks to two earlyseason losses, but Tuesday, Humphrey offered a tantalizing possibility — that he could return for his senior season.
“I think this team has a really talented roster next year,” Humphrey said during Cotton Bowl Media Day. “I think there's a good chance this team goes all the way next year. And that's something I think about.
“I think this team is talented enough to win a national championship.”
Humphrey grew up a Sooners fan in Shawnee, and is intrigued by the possibility of helping win a national title.
So while Humphrey and the rest of the OU players and coaches who spoke Tuesday said they were focused on t he Dec. 3 0 Cotton Bowl match up against No .7 Florida, the circumstances of this season and the potential for success allowed them to look to the future a bit.
With the improvement shown on defense, Spencer Rattle r' s progression at quarterback and the players who could return across the board for the Sooners as well as a favorable non-conference schedule, the Sooners could make a more serious run at a title.
“I think next year will probably be our most complete team that I've seen since I've been here,” Humphrey said. “So that's really exciting to see. I think there's a lot of talent on that roster next
year. So I think it stacks up pretty good.”
In addition to Humphrey, the players most likely to leave are a pair of defensive linemen — defensive end Ronnie Perkins and interior defender Perrion Winfrey — as well as running back Rhamondre Stevenson.
While the Sooners have had a slew of high NFL Draft picks over the last three seasons—five firstround picks including two No. 1s and 11 players taken in the first three round s—OU is absent from a lot of one-and two-round mock drafts this season.
“That just puts you in a position in terms of experience to be able to go and compete,” fullback/tight end Jeremiah Hall said of the large number of potential returners.
“Here at the University of Oklahoma, every year we're talking about competing for the national championship. So that just adds an advantage for us in terms of having guys back, being familiar with this offense, having guys back who have played in big games and are ready for moments like that.
“I do believe that we have a chance to go compete for next year.”
The circumstances of this season could make it easier on a player like Humphrey to return, especially given the fact that all players can come back for another year if they choose.
“It' s really at this point how you feel about what you've done here, what you feel about your body, things like that,” Humphrey said. “It's a different decision that what you'd have to make usually. For a lot of people, this could be the last year in normal years but now they all of a sudden have another year to play if they want.”
While corner back Tre Brown has already declared for the NFL Draft, several other seniors — most notably Stevenson, LaRon Stokes and Jon-Michael Terry — could decide to return.
Humphrey said he hadn' t taken time to seriously think about whether or not he would return but regardless of t he decision about his future, it was important for him to play in the bowl game, though he also said he understood Brown's decision.
“In my eyes, I started this season, so I … intend to finish it with my team, no matter what decision I make,” Humphrey said. “If I return next year, if I leave this year, I want to play this last game because I feel like I owe it to the team as a leader on this team, as a captain, that I need to play this game for sure.”