SALT LAKE CITY — Chad Bumphis will return to the Utah football program as wide receivers coach, head coach Morgan Scalley announced on Sunday. Bumphis, who spent the 2021-22 seasons in the same position with the Utes, has been coaching wideouts at Mississippi State, his Alma mater, for the last three years.
“It is awesome to have Chad back in the fold with us,” Scalley said. “He has an energy and a passion for coaching that our wide receivers are going to love. He is an exceptional recruiter and evaluator, and his ability to teach and develop I have witnessed first-hand.”
Bumphis oversaw the development of MSU’s Brenen Thompson on the way to Associated Press All-SEC Second Team honors and Third Team recognition from the SEC head coaches in 2025. Thompson finished the regular season with 53 receptions for 948 yards and six touchdowns. He averaged 17.89 yards per reception and 79.0 yards per game.
His 948 yards tied for the second-most in the SEC while his 17.89 yards per catch average ranked fourth in the SEC. He led the SEC in receptions of 40+ yards (9) and is tied for 1st in receptions of 50+ yards (4). Thompson has three 100+ yard receiving games (Arizona State, Florida, Arkansas) and a pair of multi-touchdown games.
“My wife Nataly, son Ace and I are all fired up to be moving back to Salt Lake City and rejoin the Utah football family,” Bumphis said. “I couldn’t be more excited for the direction of the program under the leadership of Coach Scalley! Thank you to Coach Scalley and Coach McGiven for trusting me with a great group of wide receivers to continue developing. I can’t wait to get to work! Go Utes!”
Bumphis coached Kevin Coleman Jr. in 2024, the first Bulldog wide receiver to earn All-SEC honors since the 2016 season. Coleman was named Third Team All-Conference after having one of the best receiving seasons in program history, hauling in 74 receptions for 932 yards and six touchdowns. He averaged 6.2 receptions per game, 12.6 yards per reception and 77.7 yards per game.
At the end of the regular season, Coleman ranked second in the SEC in total receptions, fourth in receiving yards and was tied for eighth in touchdown receptions.
In his first season back in Starkville, Bumphis’ wide receiver group totaled 2,182 yards through the air and recorded 15 touchdowns. Tulu Griffin had a career season, setting career-best marks and leading the team in receptions (50), yards (658) and receiving touchdowns (4). Griffin also set a single-game program record for receiving yards in a game with 256 at South Carolina and was the only SEC receiver in 2023 to tally over 250 receiving yards in a single game.
Bumphis also helped Zavion Thomas have a breakout season. Thomas racked up over 500-yards on 40 receptions, including his first career touchdown reception and first 100-yard receiving game at Auburn on Oct. 28.
With Utah in 2022, Bumphis’ wideout unit helped the Utes rank No. 5 in the Pac-12 in both scoring offense (38.6) and total offense (466.9). Devaughn Vele led all Utah wide receivers with 55 catches for 695 yards and five touchdowns, the third most receiving scores on the team, while Jaylen Dixon added 33 catches for 344 yards and three scores. Money Parks also hauled in 26 receptions for 414 yards and two touchdowns.
Britain Covey was the top wide receiver target during Bumphis’ first season, catching 52 balls for 514 yards and three touchdowns. Vele also made an impact during the 2021 campaign, contributing 23 catches for 389 yards and a score.
At Austin Peay in 2019, Bumphis was part of a coaching staff that helped the Governors to a record of 11-4 and an average of 34.5 points per game. His wide receivers played a key role in the team ranking 20th nationally in passing yards (3,208). Under Bumphis’ guidance, DeAngelo Wilson led the FCS in receiving yards (1,564) and earned Second-Team All-Ohio Valley Conference honors.
Prior to his year as a graduate assistant at Utah in 2018, Bumphis served as an offensive graduate assistant at Buffalo in 2017 following his first coaching position as the wide receivers coach at Iowa Wesleyan in 2016.
Before entering the coaching ranks, he signed as an undrafted free agent with the Miami Dolphins in 2013 and spent time with the practice squads of the Dolphins, Denver Broncos and Jacksonville Jaguars before finishing his professional career with the Canadian Football League’s Edmonton Eskimos in 2015.
Bumphis was Mississippi State’s leading receiver three of his four seasons from 2009-12 and holds the school record for receiving touchdowns (24), ranks second in career receiving yards (2,270) and second 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.
A native of Tupelo, Miss., Bumphis received his bachelor’s degree in communication from MSU in 2013. At Tupelo High School, he was a First Team All-State receiver, racking up 2,207 yards and 23 touchdowns during his career.
Bumphis and his wife, Nataly, have one son, Ace.
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