Matt Mumme, a disciple of the noted “Air Raid” offense, enters his fifth season as the Wolf Pack’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2021.
The 2020 campaign marked the latest high point for the Pack offense as well as its quarterback play, as Carson Strong put together one of the top seasons of any signal-caller in the nation. Strong became the first Nevada player to be named Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year, and was named to the All-Mountain West First Team, pacing the conference in passing yards (2,858), passing touchdowns (27), and completion percentage (70.1). Nationally, Strong ranked in the FBS top 10 in completions per game (27.7, second), passing yards per game (317.6, seventh), completion percentage (seventh), and touchdown passes (ninth), while coming in 11th in passing yards.
Just as impressively, Strong finished the year with an interception rate of just 1.13, throwing just four picks over 355 attempts, and posted five 300-yard passing games, twice hitting the 400-yard mark, over the season's nine games.
The Wolf Pack passing attack ranked 12th in the nation at 319.1 yards per game, while the Nevada offense's 30.8 points per game was also a top-50 figure in the FBS, coming in at 46th.
Mumme's work with Strong began with the quarterback's ascension to the QB1 spot in 2019. Strong made 10 starts in the Wolf Pack’s 13 games, and, under Mumme’s guidance, racked up 2,335 passing yards and tossed 11 touchdown passes. Strong completed 63.4 percent of his passes in 2019, which was good for third-best in the Mountain West, and his 233.5 passing yards per game also ranked in the top five in the conference. In the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, Strong had his best performance of the season, throwing for a Nevada bowl game record 402 yards.
In Mumme’s second season as the offensive play caller, the Wolf Pack increased its production in many statistical categories including passing offense, scoring offense, total offense and red zone offense. Nevada ranked in the top five in the Mountain West in each of these categories and was a top 25 team nationally in passing offense at 278.8 yards per pass. In the 2018 season opener against Portland State, Mumme’s offense put up 72 points, which was the most by a Wolf Pack team at home since 1991 and tied for second-most in Mountain West history.
On the individual side in 2018, Mumme developed Ty Gangi into one of the top quarterbacks in the Mountain West. Gangi ranked in the top five in the conference in a number of categories including passing TDs, passing yards, passing yards per game, total offense and passing yards per completion. In two of those categories, passing yards and passing yards per game, Gangi finished the year in the top 20 in the nation. Additionally Gangi threw a touchdown pass in 27 consecutive games to end his career, which was second nationally.
Mumme adopted the Air Raid scheme right away with Nevada to much success. The Wolf Pack ranked 32nd in the nation in Mumme’s first season and was second in the Mountain West in passing offense, averaging 270.4 yards per game through the air. The Air Raid attack really got going during league play when the Pack increased its production to 307.4 yards per game, which ranked first in the conference.
Under Mumme’s direction in 2017, Gangi broke out to become a top threat in the conference. Gangi garnered an All-MW honorable mention after leading the league in touchdown passes (23) during the conference season. In total Gangi threw 25 touchdown passes on the year, which ranked in the top 30 nationally, and totaled over 2,700 yards through the air.
Mumme also developed a couple of key receiving targets in the Air Raid scheme in All-MW second team performer Wyatt Demps and freshman All-America McLane Mannix. Demps posted one of the finest seasons by a Pack receiver in recent memory, leading the conference with 11 receiving touchdowns and finishing second in receptions with 67. Demps nearly notched a 1,000-yard receiving season as well, totaling 908 yards which ranked in the top 45 in the nation. Mannix on the other hand snagged 57 catches for 778 yards, notched six touchdowns and averaged 13.6 yards per catch. His 57 receptions were tied for second among freshmen wide receivers, he was fifth in receiving yards and fourth in receiving touchdowns.
Mumme came to the Pack after four seasons as the head coach of LaGrange College in Georgia. He played quarterback at the University of Kentucky under his father, Hal Mumme, the noted architect of the pass-happy and up-tempo Air Raid system.
Mumme arrived in Reno with 14 years of coaching experience under his belt, including 10 as an offensive coordinator at New Mexico State University, Southeastern Louisiana University, McMurry University, Davidson College and LaGrange College. In his coaching career, he has guided a top-10 passing offense in the nation 11 times, including three times as the top passing offense in the nation and once as the top team in total offense.
Mumme’s offense led the USA South conference in passing for the fourth straight year in 2016, averaging more than 360 yards per game. The Panthers led NCAA Division III in passing yards per game in 2013 and were sixth in 2014. In 2016 they finished fifth in the nation in passing.
Mumme’s offenses at Davidson broke numerous school records. Quarterback Jonathan Carkhuff broke the school passing record and was sixth in the nation, while receiver Lanny Funsten became an All-American under Mumme, setting a single-season school record with 100 receptions.
In two seasons at McMurry, Mumme’s War Hawks were second in Division III in passing yards and led all of college football with 45 touchdown passes. His offense produced 6,699 passing yards and 71 touchdowns, driving the team’s first winning season in 10 years.
Mumme has coached 10 all-conference quarterbacks and receivers. Mumme also coached All-American quarterback Martin Hankins at Southeastern Louisiana. Hankins threw for 7,777 yards and 65 touchdowns and was a finalist for the Walter Payton Award, the Heisman Trophy for the NCAA Division I Football Championship Series.
His 2003 offense at SELU led the nation in both passing offense and total offense. The 2004 Lions offense also led the nation in passing under Mumme’s direction. Mumme holds a degree in human environmental studies with a minor in business from the University of Kentucky and also earned a master’s in business administration from Southeastern Louisiana University. His wife, Fayedra, is a licensed professional counselor.
The File on Matt Mumme
Born: May 15, 1975
Hometown: Stephenville, Texas
Family: Wife – Fayedra
Education: Bachelor's, University of Kentucky, 1999; Master’s, Southeastern Louisiana University, 2004
Coaching Experience
2017-present: Off. Coordinator/QBs, Nevada
2013-16: Head Coach, LaGrange
2011-12: Off. Coordinator, Davidson
2009-10: Off. Coordinator, McMurry
2005-08: Co-Off. Coordinator, New Mexico State
2003-04: QBs, Southeastern Louisiana
Playing Experience
Kentucky: Quarterback (1997-99)
