Humphries excelling as Tigers' Mr. Versatile

by David Hood - Senior Writer - Wed Oct 31 10:52:13 GMT-04:00 2012

CLEMSON – Adam Humphries Adam Humphries
So. Wide Receiver
#16 5-11, 190
Spartanburg, SC
View Full Profile played on both sides of the ball at Dorman High School, almost never coming off the field for any kind of a break.

Humphries has been successful in his time as a wide receiver at Clemson, acting first as a backup to wide receiver Sammy WatkinsSammy Watkins
So. Wide Receiver
#2 6-1, 205
Fort Myers, FL
View Full Profile and then playing a majority of the time while Watkins was out for three games this season.

As a freshman, Humphries had 15 receptions for 130 yards, and this season he has 19 receptions for 148 yards.

However, it wasn’t until last week in the game at Wake Forest that Humphries got to relive the thrill of being a two-way player while also playing on special teams. Humphries caught a pass on offense, returned punts and then played as a cornerback late in the Tigers’ 42-13 victory, reprising the role he played at Dorman.

Humphries wound up playing 11 snaps and recorded two tackles during his time on defense, and defensive coordinator Brent VenablesBrent Venables
Defensive Coordinator / Linebackers
View Full Profile said he likes what Humphries brings to the table.

“He’s tough,” Venables said Tuesday. “He’s intelligent, incredibly competitive, very naturally gifted, explosive, fast, super change of direction, very instinctive, great ball skills - you can just go down the ranking at the top of the charts, in so many of those areas. A lot of things, you just can’t coach, so he’s got that it.”

That “it” is Humphries’ great athleticism, and Dorman head coach David Gutshall has said that Humphries was Dorman’s best all-around athlete during his time at the school.

Humphries said he will do whatever it takes to help the team win.

“Wherever they want me, I’ll go out there and play,” he said Monday afternoon. “I played both in high school, so it is nothing new to me. It is exciting to do that for this team. I am just a fan of the game, you know? I just want to help the team win. I feel like I could excel at both positions. In high school, I rarely sat down, which is a big difference at Clemson.”

Venables said he wouldn’t mind seeing Humphries on his side of the ball.

“I think coach [ Dabo SwinneyDabo Swinney
Head Coach
View Full Profile ] likes to win and have success, find a way to help the football team, like any smart coach will do,” Venables said. “I think [Humphries] has shown before, that he’s more than capable of helping out. He’d be a terrific player if he was there full-time, as well.”

Humphries said recording two tackles was no big deal, even though he had to change his entire mentality during the flow of the game.

“They [Wake Forest] saw me out there and just wanted to come after me,” he laughed. “But there is a different mentality. We are aggressive on both sides of the ball, but the defensive mindset is trying to stop the ball and stop the first downs. It is a whole lot different.”

Offensive coordinator Chad Morris said that Humphries is the football version of basketball’s proverbial gym rat.

“He’s a guy that knows football. That sounds like kind of a corny statement, but the guy knows football,” Morris said. “The thing about Adam, Adam loves football. You can tell he enjoys it. He wants to be around. He wants to play. He’s getting his 30 snaps or whatever he’s getting on offense, that’s nothing. That’s about two periods in practice out here, so he can get another 30 somewhere if he needs that.”

As a senior at Dorman, Humphries had 17 receptions for 329 yards and four touchdowns, 34 carries for 178 yards with 11 touchdown and seven kickoff returns for 155 yards. On the defensive side of the ball, he was in on 32 tackles, nine pass breakups and recorded three interceptions.