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Utah Has Hired Chad Bumphis As New Wide Receivers Coach

After parting ways with Guy Holliday last week, Utah's search for a new wide receivers coach has ended after it was announced that former graduate assistant Chad Bumphis will be taking over

Ryan Kostecka

That didn't take long.

One week after news broke that Utah was parting ways with wide receivers coach Guy Holliday, the program has found the next man to lead the Utes pass-catchers.

Former graduate assistant Chad Bumphis has been hired as the new wide receivers coach, according to head coach Kyle Whittingham.

“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 is widely looked at as a rising star in the coaching world.

He began his coaching career in 2016 as the wide receivers coach of Iowa Wesleyan, a Division III program. He then served as an offensive graduate assistant at Buffalo in 2017 before heading to the Mountain West.

After serving as a graduate assistant for Utah in 2018, he spent the last two seasons as the wide receivers coach for Austin Peay. He then accepted an offer to become the new wide receivers coach for Central Michigan in February, before now returning to a place that's very special to him.

“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.

Bumphis is no stranger to Utah's wide receiver group as Britain Covey, Solomon Enis, Jaylen Dixon and Dylan Stevens are all still on the roster after working with him three years ago.

Covey, Enis and Dixon are all expected to challenge for starting roles this offseason, especially following the transfers of Samson Nacua and Bryan Thompson— which many have speculated as to why Holliday and Utah parted ways.

“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 said. “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.”

Sep 15, 2018; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Utah Utes wide receiver Britain Covey (18) runs with the ball during the first quarter against the Washington Huskies at Rice-Eccles Stadium / Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports

According to the press release...

"A 2013 graduate of Mississippi State with a bachelor's degree in communication, Bumphis was Mississippi State's leading receiver three of his four seasons from 2009-12. He holds the school record for receiving touchdowns (24), ranks second in career receiving yards (2,270) and third in receptions (159). Bumphis was named to the Freshman All-Southeastern Conference team by the league's coaches in 2009 and was a second-team All-SEC receiver by the AP as a senior in 2012.

Bumphis signed as an undrafted free agent with the Miami Dolphins in 2013 and spent time with the practice squads of the Miami Dolphins, Denver Broncos and Jacksonville Jaguars before finishing his professional career with the Canadian Football League's Edmonton Eskimos in 2015. He is a native of Tupelo, Miss."

Chad_Bumphis_WR
Courtesy of Utah Athletics

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