By Will Vandervort.
Adam Humphries is just going to sit back and enjoy the next couple of weeks. The Clemson senior says that’s all he really can do as the 17th-ranked Tigers prepare for the Dec. 29 Russell Athletic Bowl against Oklahoma.
With the end of his Clemson career drawing near, he says the reality of the situation actually began a few weeks ago with an experience that is allowing him to have a little more fun playing the game he loves so much.
“It really set in at the Georgia State game,” Humphries said. “Running down the Hill and meeting my parents and Coach Swinney down at the bottom was really emotional for me. It was a good day to kind of let all those emotions go.
“Going into the Carolina game, it was not as emotional. It has really set in, so these last ten practices, I’m really going to take advantage of them and understand that my time here is winding down. But I’m going to sit back and enjoy it.”
Humphries’ senior season at Clemson was not exactly the one he was hoping for. He wanted to put up big numbers and maybe help the Tigers win another ACC Championship and play in the College Football Playoff.
But instead he had caught 25 passes for 176 yards with no touchdown receptions, the least productive year he has had since catching 15 passes for 130 yards as a freshman.
His one shining moment of the year came against Louisville when he took a punt back 72 yards for a touchdown. Even with that, Humphries averaged just 6.2 yards on 28 punt returns. He averaged 10.5 yards on 20 returns in 2013.
The Russell Athletic Bowl against an opponent like Oklahoma, one of college football’s all-time winning-est programs, is a good opportunity for Humphries and others on the team to make amends and create more memories as well.
This year’s senior class, which already owns a school-record 41 victories including wins over LSU and Ohio State in the last two bowl games, would love to make win No. 42 against a team and program like Oklahoma’s.
“The past two bowls we have played big-logo teams in LSU and Ohio State so playing three years in a row against a team like that is awesome. It would be a great way to go out as a senior, beating a big-name team, one everyone recognizes,” Humphries said. “What a great way to go out.”
And what a great way to end what has been a good career for Humphries.