Humphrey said he doesn’t believe he is competing against the Bruins’ other cornerbacks, rather that they are competing against themselves.
UCLA football cornerback John Humphrey spoke to reporters following Monday morning’s fall camp session. Humphrey talked about how he’s fitting into the depth chart at the moment, how the position’s length is helping them go against Duke transfer receiver Jake Bobo and how he sees the competition at cornerback developing.
Size at corner help, especially going against Bobo?
I think it helps a lot, you know. Just improves the defense overall, you know, being able to physically match up against anybody. Yeah.
Fitting into battle for starting jobs?
Uh, you know, just getting better every day. That’s up to the coach, though, at the end of the day, so yeah.
Feel confident about what you’ve done in camp?
Yeah, I’m always confident.
Process of you learning the scheme and getting up to speed over the past few years?
Yeah, I think it’s all just a process, you know. Trying to rush the process, that’s not gonna help you, so you just gotta take the process head on and grow every day. There’s a lot to learn from, and thinking – I thought I knew it all, but I didn’t. But now I’m learning a lot, so getting better every day.
Some of the things you had to learn?
You know, I had to tighten up my coverage, learning all the different offensive formations and becoming a smarter football player, overall.
Kirkwood a big trash talker – do you ever go down that route?
Nah, I’m more just show by example, make plays.
Lots of competition between you and Devin?
Nah, I don’t really think we compete with each other. I think we both just compete with ourselves, at the end of the day.
Working with the 3s and 4s but sometimes with the 1s – moving you and Devin around a bit?
Uhhh. I don’t know, ha ha.
Getting time with the 1s?
Definitely, yeah. Definitely.
Azizi Hearn influence you since getting here?
Azizi, he’s a great player. You know, he hasn’t personally influenced me, but you know, but he’s a great player, at the end of the day.
How good can this defense be? How can the secondary improve?
I think we can become one of the top secondaries in the country, we just gotta keep getting better every day.
Follow Connon on Twitter at @SamConnon
Follow All Bruins on Twitter at @SI_AllBruins
Like All Bruins on Facebook at @SI.AllBruins
Subscribe to All Bruins on YouTube
Read more UCLA stories: UCLA Bruins on Sports Illustrated
Read more UCLA football stories: UCLA Football on Sports Illustrated