The University of Utah football team has found their new wide receivers coach. On Monday morning, the program announced that Chad Bumphis would fill the vacancy that was left after Guy Holliday was relieved of his duties last week. 

Bumphis is no stranger to the Utah program: he was a graduate assistant in the program during the 2018 season. During that year-long stint, Bumphis assisted with the wide receiver room. Several members of that position group are still on roster including Britain Covey and Solomon Enis. 

“Chad Bumphis is an excellent addition to our coaching staff,” Coach Kyle Whittingham said in a statement to Utah Athletics. “We’re very familiar with Chad from his year with us in 2018, and we’re elated to be able to bring him back to Utah. A very successful wide receiver in his own right, he has an impressive ability to teach and to motivate his players and we look forward to having him join our staff.”

In his own playing career at Mississippi State, Bumphis set a school record for receiving touchdowns with 24. He is second place in school history in the receiving yards category with 2,270 and third in school history with 159 receptions. 

He was named to the Freshman All-Southeastern Conference team in 2009 and by the time his senior season rolled around, he was named second-team All-SEC receiver by the Associated Press. 

After leaving Utah, he took a job as the WR coach at Austin Peay University for the 2019 season where his position group thrived, ranking No. 20 in the country in passing yards with 3,208. He also coached DeAngelo Wilson, who led the FCS in receiving yards (1,564) and also earned All-Ohio Valley Conference honors. 

Before coming back to Utah he was on staff at Central Michigan starting February of this year. 

“Nataly and I are very excited and extremely blessed to be back here at the University of Utah,” Bumphis said to Utah Athletics. “After spending 2018 here as a graduate assistant, it didn’t take me long to know I eventually wanted to be back here as the wide receivers coach. It just feels like home. I can’t begin to explain the excitement we’ve been feeling over the last couple of days. This program and the way these guys attack every day is exactly what you’re looking for when you’re joining a new program. We want to thank Coach Whittingham for such a great opportunity, and also for believing in me enough to allow me to coach and mentor the young men in that receiver room. I’m beyond grateful and excited to get rolling.”

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