Sonny Cumbie
Encyclopedia
Sonny Jack Cumbie is an American football
Assistant Coach for the Texas Tech Red Raiders
, serving as Inside Receivers Coach. Cumbie was the starting Quarterback for the Texas Tech Red Raiders
during the 2004 season, where he led the nation in passing and total offense, a win in the 2004 Holiday Bowl
, and MVP honors for the game.
, and was a three-sport letterman in football
, basketball
, and baseball
. In football, as a senior, he won first team All-District honors, Honorable Mention All-South Plains honors, and was named the District M.V.P. In basketball, he won All-District honors and All-Big Country honors. In baseball, he was named the District MVP as a senior. Cumbie graduated from Snyder High School in 2000. He received scholarship offers from Tarleton State University and West Texas A&M University.
and later turned receiver Robert Johnson. He served as 3rd stringer from 2000-2002, back up to record setter B.J. Symons in 2003, and won the starting job in 2004 over Hodges and Johnson. He delivered two big blowouts, a 70-35 win over TCU, and a 70-10 drubbing of Nebraska. Tech was upset by New Mexico 27-24. In Big 12 play Tech defeated Kansas State, Kansas 31-30, Nebraska 70-10, Oklahoma State 31-15, and Baylor. They played eventual National finalist Oklahoma to a close 28-13 score and also played a thriller at Texas A&M, losing in overtime 32-25. The Raiders finished 5-3, 7-4 overall, for third in the Big 12 South, and were invited to the Holiday Bowl.
Cumbie lead #23 ranked Texas Tech to a win in the 2004 Holiday Bowl over then #4 California Golden Bears
. Cumbie went 39-60 (65%) and a career high 520 yards and three touchdowns. His performance in that game earned him M.V.P. honors.
by the Indianapolis Colts
after college, but later released. And as of the 2006 season he briefly signed with the Baltimore Ravens
, but was released. Cumbie was the starting
quarterback for the San Angelo Stampede Express of the Indoor Football League
. Cumbie then joined the Los Angeles Avengers in the Arena Football League. He started 12 games his first season as a rookie
, returns as the Avengers starting quarterback in 2007. He agreed to a two-year contract on Oct. 19, 2005, which kept him in Los Angeles through the 2007 AFL season
. Playing in a total of 13 games in 2006, Cumbie completed 268-of-450 for 3,241 yards and 59 touchdowns in 2006. He also scored three touchdowns on the ground. In 2007 Cumbie led the Avengers to the playoffs while throwing for 83 touchdown passes and 4,370 yards.
was hired as the head coach for the team
. He promoted Cumbie to inside receivers coach, a post held formerly by current East Carolina Pirates football
offensive coordinator
Lincoln Riley.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
Assistant Coach for the Texas Tech Red Raiders
Texas Tech Red Raiders
The Texas Tech Red Raiders are the athletic teams that represent Texas Tech University . The women's basketball team uses the name Lady Raiders; however, the school's other women's teams use the "Red Raiders" name. The university's athletic program fields teams in 15 varsity sports and 30 club sports...
, serving as Inside Receivers Coach. Cumbie was the starting Quarterback for the Texas Tech Red Raiders
Texas Tech Red Raiders
The Texas Tech Red Raiders are the athletic teams that represent Texas Tech University . The women's basketball team uses the name Lady Raiders; however, the school's other women's teams use the "Red Raiders" name. The university's athletic program fields teams in 15 varsity sports and 30 club sports...
during the 2004 season, where he led the nation in passing and total offense, a win in the 2004 Holiday Bowl
2004 Holiday Bowl
The 2004 Holiday Bowl was the third bowl game played of the 2004-2005 bowl season on December 30, 2004. The game was held at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, pitting the Pac-10's and the Big 12's Texas Tech Red Raiders...
, and MVP honors for the game.
High school years
Cumbie attended Snyder High School in Snyder, TexasSnyder, Texas
Snyder is a city in and the county seat of Scurry County, Texas, United States. The population was 10,653 at the 2010 census. It is located on Deep Creek, a minor tributary of the Colorado River of Texas. Snyder is approximately 150 km southeast of Lubbock.Located in Snyder is the Scurry County...
, and was a three-sport letterman in football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
, basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, and baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
. In football, as a senior, he won first team All-District honors, Honorable Mention All-South Plains honors, and was named the District M.V.P. In basketball, he won All-District honors and All-Big Country honors. In baseball, he was named the District MVP as a senior. Cumbie graduated from Snyder High School in 2000. He received scholarship offers from Tarleton State University and West Texas A&M University.
College career
Cumbie walked on at Texas Tech, where he enrolled as a student in 2000. He often battled against other scholarship quarterbacks, whom he would later beat out for the starting job such as Cody HodgesCody Hodges
Cody Hodges is a philanthropist, motivational speaker, and former professional American football player, playing in the National Football League, Arena Football League. Hodges is best known for his one season as the starting quarterback for the Texas Tech Red Raiders during the 2005 season. He led...
and later turned receiver Robert Johnson. He served as 3rd stringer from 2000-2002, back up to record setter B.J. Symons in 2003, and won the starting job in 2004 over Hodges and Johnson. He delivered two big blowouts, a 70-35 win over TCU, and a 70-10 drubbing of Nebraska. Tech was upset by New Mexico 27-24. In Big 12 play Tech defeated Kansas State, Kansas 31-30, Nebraska 70-10, Oklahoma State 31-15, and Baylor. They played eventual National finalist Oklahoma to a close 28-13 score and also played a thriller at Texas A&M, losing in overtime 32-25. The Raiders finished 5-3, 7-4 overall, for third in the Big 12 South, and were invited to the Holiday Bowl.
Cumbie lead #23 ranked Texas Tech to a win in the 2004 Holiday Bowl over then #4 California Golden Bears
California Golden Bears football
The California Golden Bears football team is the college football team of the University of California. The team plays its home games at California Memorial Stadium, however the team played at San Francisco's AT&T Park in 2011 while Memorial Stadium was being renovated, the team will return to...
. Cumbie went 39-60 (65%) and a career high 520 yards and three touchdowns. His performance in that game earned him M.V.P. honors.
Professional career
Cumbie was signed as a free agentFree agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
by the Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
after college, but later released. And as of the 2006 season he briefly signed with the Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
, but was released. Cumbie was the starting
Starting lineup
A starting lineup in sports is an official list of the set of players who will actively participate in the event when the game begins. The players in the starting lineup are commonly referred to as starters, whereas the others are substitutes or bench players.The starters are commonly the best...
quarterback for the San Angelo Stampede Express of the Indoor Football League
Indoor Football League
The Indoor Football League began in 1999 as an offshoot of the troubled Professional Indoor Football League. Keary Ecklund, the owner of the Green Bay Bombers and Madison Mad Dogs, left the PIFL after its first, financially-troubled, season to start his own league. Unlike the PIFL, the IFL was an...
. Cumbie then joined the Los Angeles Avengers in the Arena Football League. He started 12 games his first season as a rookie
Rookie
Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of their sport or has little or no professional experience. The term also has the more general meaning of anyone new to a profession, training or activity Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of...
, returns as the Avengers starting quarterback in 2007. He agreed to a two-year contract on Oct. 19, 2005, which kept him in Los Angeles through the 2007 AFL season
2007 AFL season
The 2007 AFL Season was the 111th season of the Australian Football League, the highest-level professional Australian rules football league in Australia...
. Playing in a total of 13 games in 2006, Cumbie completed 268-of-450 for 3,241 yards and 59 touchdowns in 2006. He also scored three touchdowns on the ground. In 2007 Cumbie led the Avengers to the playoffs while throwing for 83 touchdown passes and 4,370 yards.
Coaching career
In 2008, Cumbie began his coaching career at Texas Tech as a graduate assistant under head coach Mike Leach. Cumbie served in this capacity for two seasons. After Leach's departure, Tommy TubervilleTommy Tuberville
Thomas Hawley Tuberville is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head football coach at Texas Tech University, a position he has held since the 2010 season...
was hired as the head coach for the team
Texas Tech Red Raiders football
Texas Tech Red Raiders football program is a college football team that represents Texas Tech University . The team competes, as a member of the Big 12 Conference, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
. He promoted Cumbie to inside receivers coach, a post held formerly by current East Carolina Pirates football
East Carolina Pirates football
The East Carolina Pirates is a college football team that represents East Carolina University . The team is currently a member of the Conference USA, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association .The Pirates have won seven conference championships and...
offensive coordinator
Offensive coordinator
An offensive coordinator is a member of the coaching staff of a gridiron football team who is in charge of the offense. Generally, along with his defensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
Lincoln Riley.