ATHENS, Ga. — Georgia cornerback Julian Humphrey, a starter who has been benched the past two games, isn’t waiting for this week’s SEC championship to see if he gets his job back: He announced on Sunday he’s entering the transfer portal.
The portal window doesn’t open until Dec. 9, and Georgia plays Texas on Saturday in the SEC Championship Game. But Humphrey told On3 on Sunday that he’s planning to leave. Humphrey was a four-star recruit in the 2022 class out of Houston, Texas.
It’s unclear if the move is immediate. Georgia coach Kirby Smart is due to speak on an SEC media call on Sunday evening.
Humphrey started at cornerback in Georgia’s first 10 games, sharing time with fellow sophomore Daniel Harris. But Harris started the next two games, against UMass and Georgia Tech, with Humphrey not playing in the Georgia Tech game, which went to eight overtime periods.
This isn’t the first time Humphrey has announced plans to enter the portal. He did so during last year’s winter window but ended up withdrawing. Harris did the same, with the two given a chance to compete for the starting role opposite returning starter Daylen Everette. While Humphrey did enough to start, he didn’t do enough to separate from Harris.
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One Georgia teammate weighed in on Sunday. Senior defensive lineman Warren Brinson, commenting on an Instagram story about Humphrey’s announcement, wrote: “Before the game is lame.”
Georgia’s secondary has been inconsistent all season, but so has the entire defense. The pass defense ranks fourth in the SEC in yards per attempt and sixth in passing yards per game. Georgia’s defense ranks eighth in the SEC overall in yards per play, which is the worst the Bulldogs have been in the Smart era.
Humphrey’s departure, assuming it holds this time, could open up playing time for freshman Ellis Robinson IV, a five-star recruit who has appeared in four games this year. Georgia is likely to stick with Harris as the starter for the SEC championship and College Football Playoff, but Robinson could get a chance in practice to show he can get some game snaps.
(Photo: Alex Slitz / Getty Images)
