ATHENS — Georgia is very much focused on this weekend’s SEC Championship game. With a win, Georgia would lock up a spot in the College Football Playoff and earn a first-round bye.
Yet because of Julian Humphrey’s decision to enter the transfer portal, Kirby Smart and Georgia players are having to answer questions about the transfer portal, which doesn’t open until Dec. 9.
“It’s crazy timing, I’d say,” safety Malaki Starks said. “You know, it’s a weird situation and, you know, I don’t know what I’m allowed to say and what I can speak on, so I wish him the best of luck and, you know, I’m just ready to go back to work.”
On Sunday, Humphrey announced that he would be entering the transfer portal. The news comes after Humphrey did not play a snap in Georgia’s win over Georgia Tech.
Humphrey had started 10 games for Georgia this season, but had seen his playing time dwindle due to the rise of Daniel Harris.
Smart would not say whether Humphrey was still with the team when asked on Sunday. But his answer about dealing with players in the transfer portal spoke volumes about how Smart felt about the situation.
“I mean, I’ve learned in this thing that you worry about the players that are with you, not the ones that aren’t,” Smart said. “And you focus on the guys that are out there on that field playing it and in trying to win games and eight overtimes and like they love the University of Georgia and want to compete and be part of it. And you don’t really try to focus on the guys that aren’t because they’ll be looking for the next stop. We got guys all over the place that aren’t here now that wish they could come back. So it’s a decision each kid has to make.”
Georgia could have as many as five games remaining this season. Behind Harris and fellow starter Daylen Everette, Georgia has freshmen cornerbacks Ellis Robinson and DeMello Jones.
With Humphrey out of the picture, those two must be ready to step up if called upon.
“They compete,” Starks said of Robinson and Jones. “They really do. You know, just two young guys coming in and learning the system. It’s hard here. It really is, and just to see how they work and they compete, you know, they really want to learn. You can tell in the meeting room, you know? You see them taking notes. You see them asking questions. They’re kind of like sponges.
“They just want to learn information, and I think that’s just such a good sign to see when you’re so young and you come in and, you know, things probably may not go your way. You may not get on the field right away. But just to see them kind of, you know, keep going at it, I think that’s huge.”
Humphrey had played every snap in Georgia’s 30-15 win over Texas earlier this season. Now, it very likely won’t have him at all due to the transfer portal.
Georgia will have to find a way to try and win the game, even with the transfer portal looming as a distraction. Georgia has lost over 20 scholarship players to the transfer portal in each of the past two off-season cycles.
While Humphrey made the unusual move of leaving before the season, he won’t be the last.
Smart though, is focused on those who wants to be with Georgia and look to win the SEC Championship game.
“I’m not chasing all the stuff around y’all are looking at. I’m worried about Texas,” Smart said.
