Bobby Humphrey proud of the name his son Marlon has made for himself
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Bobby Humphrey was called several things during his football career.
The former Alabama running back is a Crimson Tide legend and is third on the school’s all-time rushing list with 3,420 yards. After being selected in the first round of the 1989 NFL Supplemental Draft by the Denver Broncos, he earned the title of Pro Bowler, rushing for 1,202 yards and seven touchdowns in 1990.
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However, as Humphrey’s children developed an interest in sports, he made it clear from a young age he wanted them to view him differently.
“I used to tell them all the time, “‘Dad is a has-been,’” Humphrey said. “If you guys make a decision, do it the way you want to do it.”
When former Alabama defensive back Marlon Humphrey, the middle of Bobby’ s five children, came of age the message remained the same.
Coaching then 12-year-old Marlon on the Hoover Bengals of the Over-the-Mountain Recreational league in Hoover, Ala., Bobby said it was obvious his son had the talent to grow into a special player. Back then, the now cornerback was an offensive star, following in his dad’s footsteps as a running back.
Although, as Marlon began to grow, it became more and more clear to Bobby that his son was destined for a different path. Seeing Marlon mature into his tall, athletic frame Bobby envisioned his son becoming an elite cornerback moving forward. Marlon had already demonstrated an aggressive nature on the field and carried over the family trait for speed passed down by Bobby and his wife Barbara, who ran track at UAB. The only thing missing was Marlon’s willingness to make the switch.
Bobby remembers explaining to Marlon the premium that would be placed on a tall defensive back who could run. He did his best to point out all the reasons why the move would make sense in his son’s future.
Marlon just wasn’t buying it.
“He did not want to change to defensive back because he liked scoring touchdowns,” Bobby said. “I said, ‘Why don’t you intercept the ball and score a touchdown. Then you’ll get a plus for intercepting the ball and a plus for scoring a touchdown. He smiled and he kind of liked that... It took me a year of working on him to make that switch.”
It turns out all that campaigning paid off.
Marlon developed into a five-star cornerback in high school and was rated as the No. 9 player overall and the top player in the state of Alabama in the 2014 class. From there, he kept with family tradition, committing to the Crimson Tide a week before National Signing Day.
That, too, was a decision Bobby encouraged his son to make on his own. Bobby said he stayed out of the recruiting process, for the most part, letting Marlon go on recruiting visits by himself or with friends to get a better feel of the campus. When Marlon finally committed to Alabama, Bobby said he learned of the decision after Alabama coaches.
That was perfectly fine with the proud father, who wanted to make sure his son did what he felt was best for himself.
After being selected to the Freshman All-SEC team in 2015, Marlon earned All-America honors last season by the Football Writers Association of America, tallying two interceptions, five pass breakups and a forced fumble. He even got that touchdown his father promised him as a kid, returning an interception 18 yards for a score in the Tide’s season opener against Southern California.
Following a heart-breaking loss to Clemson in the national championship game, Marlon faced a difficult decision of whether to forgo his final two years of eligibility for the NFL or return to Alabama for another season. After meeting with his family, the choice once again was in his hands.
“It was a somewhat tough process,” Marlon told reporters at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis over the weekend. “I definitely loved college, I loved playing for Coach Saban and Alabama. It was definitely tough to forego two years of eligibility to come pro.”
So far, the decision has paid off for Marlon. The 6-foot-1,196-pound cornerback posted a 4.41 time in the 40-yard dash while recording a broad jump of 125 inches at the NFL Combine.
While in Indianapolis, Marlon was also able to build relationships with several NFL teams through interviews and meetings with GMs. Having gone through similar discussions throughout his career, Bobby said he did his best to prep his son before the trip, giving him mock interviews and preparing him for some of the questions he might face. Although, as he has throughout Marlon’s entire life, he left his son with a familiar piece of advice.
“His best advice is just to be yourself,” Marlon said at Alabama’s Pro Day on Wednesday. “That’s kind of what got me this far. So, just be yourself. They have film, they know how you play. They just kind of want to see what kind of person you are.”
Despite his solid performance in Indianapolis, Marlon said his 4.41 time in the 40 was a bit bittersweet. While the time certainly didn’t do anything to damage his first-round projection in this year’s NFL Draft, it was .02 seconds slower than his goal of 4.39.
“When I was an eighth-grader, that’s what I wrote on my wall,” Marlon said. “I was a little bit off, but I think 4.41 is pretty good.”
Marlon did not participate in any of the drills during Alabama’s Pro Day due to the short turnaround from the NFL Combine. Alabama will host another Pro Day on March 29, although as of Wednesday, Marlon said he isn’t sure if he will compete at that event either.
Bobby said he will continue to stand behind every decision Marlon makes going forward. He believes his son has done an excellent job of making a name for himself so far.
“I think Marlon’s a first-rounder for what he’s done the past three years,” Bobby said. “The kid was a two-year starter on one of the best defenses in the country for the past two years. He’s also been coached by the best. Coach Saban has done a great job of getting defensive backs ready
“... What Marlon’s done on the field and what he has on tape has got to be impressive enough for a team to pick him and feel the same way.”
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