If college football ever ranked which assistant coaches are the happiest in their current position, there’s a good chance Chad Bumphis would top the poll. The Mississippi State wide receivers coach–who starred for the Bulldogs as a pass catcher from 2009 through 2012–joined the MSU staff prior to last season and has relished the opportunity to make an impact at his alma mater.
“It’s home, and I’m very, very passionate about wide receivers,” Bumphis said. “You combine the two and this is the perfect job for me.”
Bumphis is charged with helping State’s wideouts shine as brightly as he did during his playing days in the Maroon and White. The man now known as Coach Bump was MSU’s leading receiver in three of his four seasons as a Bulldog player. He still holds the school record for career receiving touchdowns with 24 and ranks second in career receiving yards with 2,270 and receptions with 159.
After earning a communication degree from State in 2013, Bumphis had a three-year professional playing career before exchanging his helmet for a coach’s headset. He now has eight years of coaching experience under his belt including prior stops at Iowa Wesleyan, Buffalo, Austin Peay and Utah.
Bumphis said he is grateful for all the opportunities he’s had, but the Tupelo native couldn’t turn down the chance to come back to Starkville last year.
Just how valuable has Bumphis been since returning to his old stomping grounds? New State head coach Jeff Lebby’s decision to retain him speaks volumes.
Shortly after Lebby was hired at MSU, he quickly made the call to ensure Bumphis remained a Dawg.
“Obviously, he loves State,” Lebby said. “He had a ton of success as a player. He’s circled back to coach the MSU receivers now and I wanted to give him that opportunity to continue to chase it. He’s done a great job.”
It’s easier to do a great job when you love your job, and there’s no doubt at all that Bumphis loves his.
“This job is why I started coaching,” Bumphis said.
By Joel Coleman, Photo by Athletics
