Coach Profile | Co-Offensive Coordinator and Wide Receivers Coach Sonny Cumbie

Coach: Sonny Cumbie
Position: Co-Offensive Coordinator and Wide Receivers
Alma Mater: Texas Tech
Coaching Experience:
2008-2009: Texas Tech, Graduate Assistant
2009: San Angelo Stampede (IFL), Head Coach and Director of Player Personnel
2010-2012: Texas Tech, Inside Receivers

Cumbie is a grinder. I mean that in the best possible way. Cumbie played one year for Texas Tech in 2004 and led that team to an 8-4 record. After graduation, Cumbie went on to play somewhat professionally by the Indianapolis Colts, the Baltimore Ravens and eventually settling with the Indoor Football Leagues, San Angelo Stampede in 2006. Then I do recall Cumbie playing for the Los Angeles Avengers in the Arena Football League in 2006 and 2007 and started all 12 games in 2007. In fact, he led that team to a 9-7 record that year, completing 62% of his passes for 4,370 yards, 83 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. That’s kinda awesome.

Cumbie then started his coaching career, at the bottom. I suppose this was somewhat reminiscent to his college career in that he was a walk-on at Texas Tech. The head coach Mike Leach gave Cumbie a shot as a graduate assistant for a couple of years.

Cumbie then tried his hand in the IFL as the head coach and director of player personnel for the San Angelo Stampede. That whole head coaching thing lasted the entire full season of 2009, but he pulled a "Bill Russell". Cumbie became the starting quarterback four games into the season, which is hilarious to think how that went. Cumbie looks around the locker room, thinks to himself, I’m better than all of these son of a guns. Well, I am the head coach and director of player personnel, so . . . Okay, I’ll name myself the starting quarterback too.

This actually paid off for Cumbie as he then led San Angelo to the playoffs for the first time in their franchise history.

Cumbie then returned to Lubbock in 2010 as the inside receivers coach by head coach Tommy Tuberville. I give some credit for Tuberville for giving Cumbie a chance as I think he’s really grown into a pretty good coach and recruiter. He hasn’t had the coaching history as some others, but I think he’s done okay for the past couple of years and he’s done pretty good at the recruiting part of college coaching (click on the years at the top to see who he is responsible for recruiting).

And then, to cap off 2012, he called the plays in the 2012 Meineke Car Care Bowl where the team finished with 429 yards of total offense, 284 yards passing and 145 rushing. Texas Tech was also 8 of 14 on third downs. Not bad for the first time to call a game in his college coaching career.