Utah football coach Kyle Whittingham announced Monday morning that he has hired a new wide receivers coach.
Chad Bumphis, 31, a Utes graduate assistant in 2018, replaces Guy Holliday, who was let go last week.
“Chad Bumphis is an excellent addition to our coaching staff,” Whittingham said in a news release. “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.”
Bumphis was the wide receivers coach at Austin Peay and had accepted a job to coach the receivers at Central Michigan in February before taking the position at Utah.
“Nataly and I are very excited and extremely blessed to be back here at the University of Utah,” Bumphis said. “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,” Bumphis continued. “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.”
During his season at Austin Peay in 2019, Bumphis helped guide a team that posted an 11-4 record and averaged 34.5 points per game. Wide receiver DeAngelo Wilson rolled up 1,564 yards for Austin Peay and earned second-team All-Ohio Valley Conference honors.
During his season at Utah, Bumphis helped coach Britain Covey, Jaylen Dixon, Solomon Enis and Dylan Slavens, who are still part of the program.
As a player, Bumphis was Mississippi State’s leading receiver in three of his four seasons with the Bulldogs from 2009-12. Bumphis holds the Mississippi State school record for receiving touchdowns (24). He also ranks No. 2 in career receiving yards (2,270) and No. 3 in receptions (159).
Bumphis earned Freshman All-Southeastern Conference honors in 2009 and was a second-team All-SEC receiver in 2012.
The native of Tupelo, Mississippi, signed with the Miami Dolphins as an undrafted free agent and was on the practice squads of the Dolphins, Denver Broncos and Jacksonville Jaguars. He ended his career with the Edmonton Football Team (then Eskimos) of the Canadian Football League in 2015.