WSU receiver Bumpus dismissed due to grades

PULLMAN – Washington State wide receiver and punt returner Michael Bumpus has been dismissed from the university because of grades with an appeal pending, head coach Bill Doba confirmed Wednesday.

Bumpus failed to meet a grade point average of 2.0 for a second semester at WSU, and according to university regulations, he cannot be a student for at least one academic year as a result.

According to a department source, Bumpus has had an application for re-admittance denied, but he has filed another appeal, with an answer expected as soon as today.

“We just don’t know yet,” Doba said.

Until the university responds to that appeal, however, Bumpus can not be enrolled at WSU, and his scholarship can not be honored. Doba said the sophomore is attending classes in Pullman this week in case he is allowed to re-join the university and the team.

As a sophomore, Bumpus was an honorable-mention All-Pac-10 player despite being limited to seven games because of a high ankle sprain. He caught 30 passes for 357 yards and two touchdowns at wide receiver, and he returned 17 punts for 232 yards and a touchdown.

With three punt returns for touchdowns in his career, Bumpus is already tied for the school record.

Working out of the slot, Bumpus has served as the team’s No. 2 wide receiver behind Jason Hill, who last week announced he would return for his senior year at WSU instead of leaving early for the NFL draft.

Still, if Bumpus can’t climb back onto the Cougars roster, WSU will be left with just five returning scholarship players at wide receiver: Hill, Chris Jordan, Brandon Gibson, Benny Ward and Scott Selby.

The Cougars already have two other receivers, junior college transfer Finas Rabb and Los Angeles native Greg Walker, in school, and they have secured oral commitments from three other wide receivers.

No Cougars other than Bumpus appear to be in any immediate academic-eligibility danger.