[2021] Week 2 - Leaders of the PAC

[SageBow]

 

Welcome back to "Leaders of the PAC", where we will be interviewing various captains of PAC-12 teams and talk about leadership, integrity, and the love of the game. In this episode Sage sat down with Arizona Wildcats QB Derron Humphrey.

 

Sage here sitting down with senior QB and Arizona Wildcats Captain Derron Humphrey. Derron, how are you feeling so far this season? One last ride at the helm of this team!

 

Couldn't ask for a better start to the season. Two wins and the guys are confident in themselves. Coach believes in us and is letting me really prove what I can do on offense.

 

Leadership in the college football game tends to be from the top down. Talk me through your relationship with coach. What was that first impression like and what makes you guys click together.

 

In one word, trust. Coach Joopear told us straight up that we would have a lot to work on this season in order to fight for the PAC 12 trophy, but that didn't mean his first year would just be a 'transition year.' And as a senior, that meant a lot. He knows his personnel, gameplanned around our talents, and really made us shine.

 

Arizona has a large quarterbacks room. 8 total, with 4 of you guys having been 3 star prospects or higher. With so much competition, how do you compromise your desire to be a starter but also develop the guys coming up behind you?

 

Mentorship is extremely important in Coach's culture. I'm just doing everything I can to make sure we can all succeed. I worked hard to be the starter, but in the end it's team first. For us it's all about playing to our strengths and if I can help the younger guys learn from my strengths, I think that's a job well done.

 

Looking at my records you were a do it all guy in high school. Played defense, quarterback, and punted, captain of the team. How did that experience mold who you are today?

 

I always wanted to be quarterback in college and to be honest, I really thought that might not happen. A lot of people wrote me off and thought I'd end up as a corner or receiver, but I've worked hard to prove that I can belong, especially in a conference as strong as the PAC12. But having high school experience on offense and defense has really helped me to understand both sides of the ball and make better decisions.

 

You definitely had the speed to be able to play receiver or corner but your ability to translate that speed inside the pocket gives the Wildcats offense multiple dimensions. You have a lot going for you, even potential looks at the pro game. What leadership lessons from captaining this team will you take to the next level?

 

Confidence and focus. Coach has constantly reminded us the importance of how having a good mindset affects the entire game and that starts with being confident in your abilities and focusing on improving.

 

Thank you for the time Derron. Before I go, what does Leadership mean to you?

 

Leadership means willingness to be ok with change and to motivate the team to buy in to the program and what Coach is trying to build. We’ve got a lot of work to do this year and I can’t wait to be a part of it.

 

 

Thanks for reading and as always we love your support of the PAC-12 Network. We'll see you next time Where Champions Play, After Dark.