Creed Humphrey's future is bright but for now he remains a 'crucial' part of OU 'brotherhood'

The NFL awaits, but so does a potential run at a national championship at Oklahoma.

In the middle, Creed Humphrey is certain of only one thing: he’ll be playing in next week’s Cotton Bowl. He will not be opting out of anything.

“In my eyes, I started this season, so I want to — I intend to finish it with my team no matter what decision I make,” Humphrey said this week. “If I return next year, if I end up leaving 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.”

Humphrey is finishing up his fourth season at OU. After last year, he projected as a high NFL Draft pick and could have left. Before this year, when the Coronavirus threatened everything, he could have left. After this year, when the Sooners’ playoff hopes had died and another Big 12 flag was attained, he could have left.

But he kept coming back.

Could he do it again? Humphrey acknowledged he’s thought about it because of the team’s talent returning in 2021. Is Creed Humphrey, fifth-year senior, even a remote possibility?

“Yeah, definitely,” he said. “I think this team has a really talented roster next year. I think there's a chance this team goes all the way next year. And that's something I definitely think of, for sure. I think this team is talented enough to win a national championship next year.”

To be clear, Humphrey — a 6-foot-5, 320-pound fourth-year junior from Shawnee — says, “I haven't made a decision about that yet.”

It seems like astronomical odds that Humphrey would put off the NFL for yet another full year to play college football. But the notion that he’s even considered it says a lot about his makeup.

Humphrey speaks strictly for himself when describing the importance of finishing what he started. He’s not casting aspersions at teammates who have decided otherwise. When cornerback Tre Brown announced this week he was opting out of the Cotton Bowl so he could start training for the NFL Draft, Humphrey said, simply, “I don't have a problem with it.”

Later in the week, he even showed his support by posting about Brown on social media.

It’s funny that the only people saying he quit on this team is the people who aren’t on our team. Nothing but respect for TB from us. https://t.co/S8RbEUbFKJ
— Creed Humphrey (@creed_humphrey) December 24, 2020

“If you know that's the right thing they feel they need to do for their future, I don't see an issue with it at all,” Humphrey said, “especially this year with how difficult this year has been for so many people and so many players, not getting to go see their families, things like that. I have no issue with it at all.”

For now, Humphrey’s teammates are glad he’s got at least one game left in crimson and cream.

“It means a great deal to the offense," said running back Rhamondre Stevenson, "a great deal to the quarterback, me, and the linemen right next to him because he just makes — he makes the game a lot easier for everybody on the field. And so him deciding to play, that's huge for us. And I know he's a competitor, so I wouldn't think he would want to sit out for this game anyways. But, yeah, it's a great thing having him snapping the ball.”

“To have him for this game is crucial,” said H-back Jeremiah Hall. “He's a big part of our offense. He's the center of our offense, both on the field and figuratively. But I'm grateful to have him, and I know he's happy to play. And we're going to get this thing rolling for him, and hopefully send him off well.”

“He's a guy that we all know could leave,” said quarterback Spencer Rattler. “But just his character and how he cares for this team and these players, it's a brotherhood. So big shout-out to Creed for hanging in for one more. And that just makes, I think, all of our comfort levels just better, coaches as well. Just knowing we've got a vet up front that's going to lead us and finish out the season with us.”

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