Malaki Starks honest about Julian Humphrey entering transfer portal: "It's crazy timing"
ATHENS, Ga. — Malaki Starks is looked to as one of the leaders for Georgia’s defense, and its team as a whole. That’s why he was chosen by Kirby Smart and company to speak for the Bulldogs on Monday of SEC Championship week.
Starks’ appearance in front of the media also comes less than 24 hours after the announcement from Georgia defensive back Julian Humphrey that the redshirt sophomore is entering the transfer portal. It was a decision that wouldn’t surprise anybody at season’s end. After all, Humphrey had last his starting spot in recent weeks and did not see the field at all in UGA’s last outing against Georgia Tech on Friday. Six days out from the SEC Championship Game though? That, to Starks, felt like ‘crazy timing.’
“It’s crazy timing, I’d say,” Starks told reporters when asked if seeing a teammate announce intentions to enter the portal at this time ‘ticked him off.’ “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. I’m just ready to go back to work.”
Georgia head coach Kirby Smart shared his feelings on the decision last night. During a media teleconference on Sunday, Smart said he was “not dealing with it,” when asked if he had talked to Humphrey. Instead, his worry was on his team and how it is going to beat Texas a second time.
“I’ve learned in this thing that you worry about the players that are with you and not the ones that aren’t,” Smart said. “You focus on the guys that are out there on that field playing it and trying to win games that love the University of Georgia and want to compete and be part of it. You don’t really try to focus on the guys that aren’t because they’ll be looking for the next stop. We’ve 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.”
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In 11 games this season, starting 10 of those, Humphrey totaled 10 tackles and four pass breakups. He also made three appearances in 2022 during his first year on campus and was a rotational player for UGA last season, playing in nine contests making 11 stops before an injury ended his campaign.
Humphrey flirted with entering the transfer portal this time a year ago. He announced plans to enter although he never actually did. Less than 24 hours later, Humphrey reversed course.
Without Humphrey, Georgia is down a cornerback and left with just five: Daylen Everette, Daniel Harris, Ellis Robinson, Demello Jones and Ondre Evans. Harris split playing time with Humphrey throughout portions of the season before edging him out in each of the last three games, starting in his place each of the last two (UMass and Georgia Tech). Robinson, Jones and Evans are all three true freshmen with the first two being five-stars from the Class of 2024.
Kickoff time for Saturday’s SEC Championship Game against Texas is set for 4:00 p.m. ET on ABC. Georgia enters Atlanta as a slight underdog of less than a field goal per early odds released on Sunday.
