Smooth Bumpus

PULLMAN – Michael Bumpus could have been a Trojan. He could have been a Bruin. Heck, he probably could have been a soccer star.

But he chose to be Washington State’s all-time leading receiver.

Well, he chose to attend Washington State and play football.

The leading receiver stuff? It’s been a happy byproduct of the choice Bumpus made to leave Southern California – the area, not the school – and move to the Inland Northwest.

Actually, Bumpus isn’t there yet – WSU’s leading receiver, not the Inland Northwest.

The senior is still fourth on the Cougars’ career receptions list, his 147 since 2004 trailing Phillip Bobo and former teammate Jason Hill by one. Those two are tied for second behind Hugh Campbell’s 176, a record seemingly carved in stone from 1960 to ‘62.

Seventeen of Bumpus’ catches (for 180 yards and a touchdown) have come against the school he almost attended, Southern California.

Growing up in Culver City, a contiguous Los Angeles suburb some 20 minutes to the west of the USC campus, Bumpus was on the Trojans’ radar after earning one of the CIF Southern Section’s offensive player of the year awards.

But the Trojans decided that some guy name Dwayne Jarrett – an All-Pac-10 receiver last year as a junior who left college early and was drafted by the Carolina Panthers – was a better scholarship risk and asked the guy everyone calls Bump to come in the next spring. So the 6-foot, 190-pound (at the time) Bumpus opted for his second choice.

“You can’t turn down an opportunity like SC,” he said. “But I knew that if I did, I wanted to be in a different environment than what I’m used to and experience new things.”

He found that in Pullman.

“It’s a 180,” degree difference from Culver City, Bumpus said, adding, “It’s good. I like it.”

One of the reasons he likes it is the relationship he’s forged with his quarterback, Alex Brink – on and off the field.

“He’s probably one of my best friends on the team,” Bumpus said. “We were both pretty much in the same situation our freshman year, just trying to beat somebody out for a spot. Coincidentally, we pretty much did it within the same week.”

It happened against Oregon State in the seventh week of the 2004 season. Bumpus took over when Marty Martin was injured, and Brink replaced Josh Swogger. The two hooked up for five completions and 42 yards against the Beavers, beginning a bond that’s resulted in 134 of Bumpus’ catches.

“Having played with him as long as I have, we have, obviously on the field, a very good relationship, a very good feel for each other,” Brink said. “And that started real early on. What helps that is our relationship off field. We do kind of hang out, spend time away from football and have gotten to know each other pretty well over the last four years.

“We come from pretty different backgrounds. I’m from Eugene, Oregon, and he’s from Culver City, California, two pretty different places. It’s really been one of kind of learning from each other and seeing the differences.”

One difference is, unlike Brink, not only was WSU not Bumpus’ first choice, neither was football.

“I started playing soccer because my mom wouldn’t let me play football when I was younger – she thought I was too skinny,” said Bumpus, one of four team captains. “She thought I would get hurt or something.

“Soccer, that’s my first love still to this day. I’ve been playing that since I was 7 years old. I didn’t start playing football until ninth grade.”

That’s when Renee, a mental health analyst for Los Angeles County, relented. Although Bumpus played soccer, basketball and baseball at Culver City, football became his ticket out of the LA smog.

Playing at Washington State, however, brings Bumpus, now 198 pounds, back home at least once a year, although he missed the 2005 game with the Trojans because of an injury.

“This is my first time playing in the Coliseum,” Bumpus said. “I’m just looking forward to playing in the stadium. I’ve been to a few games there and I know it’s loud. It’s the type of environment I like to play in. I love loud places.”

He – along with the other 28 Southern California expatriates on the Cougars’ roster – loves playing in L.A.

“It’s a chance to play in front of old friends, coaches,” he said. “It’s an away game for the Cougs, but it’s kind of like a home game for me. We always seem to play good when we go down there. I haven’t lost in the Rose Bowl. The two times I’ve been (in the L.A. area) we’ve won and it always seems like we elevate our play.”

With all the success Bumpus has experienced on the Palouse, there are no hard feelings toward the Trojans.

“Maybe my freshman year I did,” Bumpus said when asked if he harbored any animosity about the USC situation. “I didn’t feel like I was respected. But, you know, you move on. I try not to live in the past.”

WSU notes

Starters Bumpus, Dwight Tardy, Mike Graise and Micah Hannam returned to practice Wednesday and all are expected to play Saturday. … Practice was highlighted by a series of circus catches from receivers Brandon Gibson, Jeshua Anderson and defensive back Chima Nwachukwu. Gibson actually made two, one on a pass from Gary Rogers he caught one-handed with his left hand, bringing the ball in from off his shoulder without ever using his right hand. … The Cougars practiced without pads, running through individual drills and team situations against the scout teams. There will be more of the same today before they fly out Friday morning.