Familiar Faces Back Guiding Bulldogs
March 24, 2023 | Football
Spring has served as a homecoming for several MSU coaches.
STARKVILLE – As Mississippi State has pushed its way through the first few weeks of its spring football schedule, the practices have become a reunion of sorts for a few returning assistant coaches.
Head coach Zach Arnett assembled much of his new staff with personnel who have ties to the Bulldogs. Whether once filling roles as coaches or taking the field as players, these assistants have returned to Starkville with a sense of familiarity and a desire to lead the program to victory.
In total, six new — but not new — faces will help lead the team this season. Chad Bumphis will instruct the wide receivers while David Turner is back teaching those on the defensive line. Greg Knox has returned as a senior offensive analyst. Meanwhile Brad Peterson, Joey Jones and Steve Campbell have all returned to work in behind-the-scenes roles.
Turner has spent 37 seasons coaching at the collegiate level, six of which have been at Mississippi State. He is well-respected around Starkville, having coached defensive line standouts that have gone on to make waves in the NFL. Now that he has returned to MSU, Turner has been impressed by his new group of defenders.
"I like the group, we've got a little of everything in terms of talent and size," Turner said. "I think we've got a chance to be good."
Things have changed drastically on the football field since Turner's last season at Davis Wade Stadium, and there have also been some new additions across the city of Starkville. Despite all of this, he feels as if everything is the same as it was eight years ago.
"It's like we haven't stopped, I mean I haven't ever left," Turner said. "Starkville's growing, which is a good thing, but it's good to be back."
A once-again Turner coworker, Tony Hughes, has spent two separate stints at Mississippi State and is now in his 11th season with the Bulldogs. The running backs coach has had the opportunity to work alongside many professionals and prepare countless players for success. Now that some of those same faces are returning, Hughes shared that he is enjoying his time with them.
"It's been great, some great friendships that have been established through the years," Hughes said. "I've worked with all of them, and of course Bumphis played for us, so it's been a pleasure."
Bumphis was a standout wide receiver at MSU from 2009-2012, leading the Bulldogs in receiving yards for three years. It's only fitting that he went on to coach the position he excelled at. Since offseason practice began a few weeks ago, Bumphis said that he has worked to figure out where his new players fit in on the depth chart.
"Just figuring out who can do what, letting guys play, moving guys around." Bumphis said.
Bumphis also shared the impact that Hughes has had on the start of his coaching career in the Maroon and White. The two have worked together to help assemble an offense that dominates in all areas.
"I talk about Coach Hughes, he's been in this league for a long time," Bumphis said. "I'm following him. Obviously what he's done has worked, so those are guys that I just look up to and I'm learning from every single day."
There are still quite a few months to go before the 2023 college football season begins, but the work that the Bulldogs are putting in now is vital to their success in the fall. With so many veteran coaches working together to lead the program once again, it's safe to say that Mississippi State is in good hands for the future.
"We've really banded together to try to get an understanding of what to do and how to do it," Hughes said. "It's been a lot of fun so far."
