Receivers coach Chad Bumphis: 'This may be my favorite group'

Mississippi State receivers coach Chad Bumphis has a lot of new faces in his room this season, mainly from the transfer portal. It is an unknown group that has a lot of guys waiting to put their stamp on the program.

On Tuesday, Bumphis met with the media to discuss his group heading into training camp, which begins on Thursday:

Q: Seems your position is starting over again with a lot of new faces?
Bumphis: We had good players last year and some decided to move on and we wish them the best. But we got new guys in the room and now we are excited to see what they can do when the lights come on.

Q: How big was it for Gracen Harris to get here in January?
Bumphis: Huge. Gracen was a unique situation. Obviously, we recruited Gracen so we knew him. But to come in early was huge, especially being a new offense for him. Then the guys in front of him, all of them are in Year 1 of the system except for Ricky (Johnson), who has played inside and outside. But for Anthony (Evans), Gracen and Bull (Isaiah Mitchell), it is Year 1 in the system. So to get in early and go through spring ball is huge. It gives you an extra semester of being ahead of where Isaiah Mitchell is right now just because he was able to get in early.

Q: What kind of progress have you seen Ricky and Sanfrisco Magee make?
Bumphis: Personally, I think Ricky has taken the biggest steps from Year 1 to Year 2. Unbelievable as far as maturity. Obviously, we know he can play and he spent all of last year playing outside. This spring we had him playing in the slot and he looks incredible. I think the last two days before we left, the switch is flipping for Frisco. I am getting excited about what he’s becoming. We know what he is athletically. It just has to click and when it does he will play this game for a long time. I think he is understanding that now. We had good conversations when he left and our conversations have been good since they’ve been gone. I am excited for them. We know what they can do and it is just going out and proving it now.

Q: Jeff Lebby had a lot of confidence in your group this spring. What gave him that confidence?
Bumphis: I think I said this the other day. I’ve had really good rooms but this may be my favorite just because they love ball. You have to pull them off the football field. Ayden Williams will sit outside and run routes all night if you let him. Jordan Mosley the exact same way. These are guys that now, you have to say ‘woah’ instead of ‘giddy up’. You have to pull them back to protect them from themselves and over training. They just love ball and you see it. There’s trust in there. There’s guys that have played whether it’s here or not. They’ve played at this level and then you add in the young guys, it is a really good room.

Q: When you recruit these guys how important is it finding the right fit?
Bumphis: That’s a big part of. Obviously, you got to be able to play football and be a good receiver. But also understanding what college football is now. You got to get guys that want to be here. It is so hard to beg a recruit to come here because he will end up leaving anyway. You have to want to play for Mississippi State. That is what this locker room is full of, guys that want to be here. They take pride in it, believe in what we are saying and are bought in. I believe you will be able to see some results. They are all in and that’s what you want. You don’t want to have to fight guys to be here. Do yon want to be here or not? I don’t want to have to beg you to do the bare minimum. Let’s go to work. This can be really fun as long as everybody is all in and on the right page moving in the direction we want. We will get the results we want.

Q: How are the positions playing out right now?
Bumphis: I think it is always open. I like to say my room is open every day. That is what that competition does. You can’t have off days. You can’t come in and not feel like working today. Outside we have different starters every week. The guys that deserve to play should be on the field. Come in, work, earn your reps and then we will go out and let you go.

Q: How much can this offense bring out the best in guys like Anthony Evans and Ayden Williams?
Bumphis: It is a receivers’ dream, it really is. I say it every year but we get in here in the offseason and watch self-scout cut-ups. As a receiver, you are going to get 1-on-1 and you see how we play. We are going to make them cover all 53 yards. You are going to get 1-on-1 and as a receiver that is all you want. We are going to put you in the best position. You know what the scheme is going to do. You are going to get 1-on-1 on an island. Go beat the guy across from you. I think we have guys that are excited about doing it. Year 2 in the system and they have a better understanding. JMo (Jordan Mosley), Brenen (Thompson) played in it at Oklahoma. Just having them in the room and understanding where we are trying to go and what this offense can look like if we perform with detail. They are seeing it and they are all in. It is fun to be a part of.

Q: How do the tight ends play off the receivers?
Bumphis: We want the best catchers, best route runners on the field at all times. You talk about (Seydou Traore), he is a walking mismatch and he can do whatever you need him to do. Then the additions we added to that room, it is a completely different room. But different guys that can do different things. We upgraded for sure.

Q: Do you think there is someone on this team that can fill the production Kevin Coleman had last year?
Bumphis: The numbers don’t leave, they just go to someone else. I just talked to Kevin and he just had a little girl so congrats to him. But I still talk to Kevin, love him to death. But he wanted to go home and we talked about this when he left. That position is always going to produce in this system. No matter if it is him, Ricky Johnson, Anthony Evans, it doesn’t matter. The best guy for that role will get those opportunities. Go out and make plays. Coaches are going to line you up in position to be successful. Now all you got to do is go do it.

Q: Did you fight to keep Stonka Burnside in your room?
Bumphis: Absolutely, still fighting. But he is such a ball player. He is a guy who will make a play no matter where he is. Wherever you put him, he will affect the game. You want as many as those on your roster as you can get. But yeah, I continue to fight for him (laughing).

Q: What do you expect out of Jordan Mosley as a leader this year?
Bumphis: I think I mentioned his name in one of the first interviews I had when I first got here. Just because you see how it works and how he carries himself. JMo is a grown man. He is mature, been around and done it. He’s been here for three different head coaches. So for a guy like that, you can put in front of the room and just lead him. It means so much more when it comes from the guys that are going through it every day. If it is always coming from me, after awhile it sounds like a magnet. But when it is the guy sitting next to you, it means a little more. You don’t have many people on this roster that can learn from as good of a group as we got right now.

Q: So you think Stonka could be a two-way player?
Bumphis: Absolutely. But that is not my decision. But if you are asking me, for sure. He’s a ball player.

Q: What have you seen from Brenen Thompson?
Bumphis: Someone who came here with one mindset. He is all in. He is mature and just carries himself like a professional. Again, the room is really good so you have multiple leaders in there. But it didn’t take long for Brenen to establish himself as a leader in that room. Just someone who has done it. We brought him in here to go be productive and go be a guy for us to help us win games. He’s taken that role on and been great for the young guys. You can’t say enough good things about BT.

Q: You think Brenen can break your record?
Bumphis: I hope so. I will say where college football is today, it is not year to year. Those career records, that is tough. Got to get those season records.

Q: You talk of this group being close. Was that something that hampered the team last year?
Bumphis: I don’t think so. I think they were really close last year. What makes us different now is we are deeper. Those top guys are always going to perform. But you can close your eyes and say go, and you feel confident in them going and making a play. Doing their job and just executing.

Q: We’ve heard of Brenen’s speed. Have you been impressed with him?
Bumphis: I’ve never seen a person with my own eyes that fast on the football field. Mario Craver was fast. But this guy is like Olympic fast. A different speed and it will be fun.