Bumphis Issues Friendly Challenge To Wide Receivers
Sep 6, 2022, 2:49 PM
Wide receiver Solomon Enis #21 of the Utah Utes warms up prior to the start of the Pac-12 Championship Game against the Oregon Ducks at Levi's Stadium on December 06, 2019 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
(Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY- The #13 Utes have been through a lot over the past weekend between a tough loss to #12 Florida and being stuck in Gainesville longer than anticipated. Wide receivers coach Chad Bumphis is proud of how the team as whole handled 24 hours worth of adversity, but also issued a friendly challenge to his position group to step it up.
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Bumphis did mention after practice how he was seeing flashes of swagger and attitude he’s been waiting for from some of his guys, but wants them to take it a step further so that quarterback Cam Rising has no choice but to make sure they get the ball too.
Wide Receiver Challenge
One area Bumphis feels like his receivers didn’t lack in Saturday night was physicality in the run game. They held their own against a tough Gators’ defense and let them know they weren’t there to play nice. Bumphis was particularly pleased with senior Solomon Enis who put guys in the ground on several occasions during The Swamp Slug-Fest.
Watching more film on the Utah v Florida game.
Come on Solomon Enis….
Man!
You too Keaton Bills! pic.twitter.com/enBMNVIHN4— Hans Olsen (@975Hans) September 6, 2022
“Very physical,” Bumphis said. “I was pleased with how they were in the run game. Obviously, you want them to do more in the throw game, but no drops and just competed all night. Dominated- I challenged them to be physical and they did. Specifically Solomon Enis. I saw a side of him that I hadn’t seen yet and it was really good to see. He played with an edge. He played ticked-off and it was good to see.”
On the other hand, receivers are supposed to receive on top of blocking and its the first part Bumphis wants his group to “demand” more of- specifically Devaughn Vele.
“Obviously, you want them to be more productive in the throw game,” Bumphis said. “My thing with Devaughn is, whether you are open or not, demand the ball. With your separation, with your mentality, the way you play the game- you are way too good to not demand the ball. Cam should look for you every single play. Again, we have unbelievable weapons all over the field. I think he’s one of those guys too along with Solo and we got guys who can do it. That’s been our conversation. Demand the football with how you create separation and your body language and mentality. Go out and dominate people. Embarrass them in the throw game, dominate them in the run game.”
Confidence Going Forward
Losing a game you could have just as easily won is disappointing no matter how you dice it. Much like head coach Kyle Whittingham, Bumphis isn’t into moral victories, but sees the high potential of the Utes if they can just clean things up a bit. End of the day it’s all about execution and that was what ultimately took down the Utes on both sides of the ball in Gainesville.
“It puts everything into perspective,” Bumphis said. “We have the team that we need to go do exactly what we want to do. We just have to finish drives and we have to compete. Understand, we are guys who can make plays and when you get that opportunity- make it! Coach said it, there is no such thing as moral victories. We expect to win every game, but we did compete. We went down there, we weren’t shook, nothing got to us, the elements didn’t bother us. It was loud, didn’t matter. I thought we played well, but we just didn’t finish the game.”
