As many as 14 new signings were made for Sunderland's Premier League return, with the promoted club currently sitting in seventh place on the table.
"Yeah I think the players that have come in have set a standard in training that us as players who played last year have to reach," Northern Ireland international Hume admitted. "If we want to stay in the team or get in the team you're going to have to reach those levels and impress.
"There will be chances throughout the season for a lot of the boys who came up and haven't been playing at the start. It's a long season and there will be chances when they come in and play. Like I say, the new boys who have come in have impressed."
Hume also said, "I think because there's been a lot of new signings it's been easy for them.
"There's been a lot of change in the coaching staff as well, there's new coaching staff.
"I think they've come in and they've bought into what Sunderland is and the fans have shown what they want from the team. They've bought into that and we've stuck together and we're in a good place."