Sonny Cumbie

Sonny Jack Cumbie (born August 8, 1981 in Abilene, Texas) is an American football assistant coach. He is currently the co-offensive coordinator and inside receivers coach for the Texas Tech Red Raiders. Cumbie was the starting quarterback for Texas Tech 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.

High school years
Cumbie attended Snyder High School in Snyder, Texas, 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.

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 Hodges 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 28–13 loss and also played at Texas A&M, losing in overtime 32–25. The Red Raiders finished 5–3 in conference play, 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.

Professional career
Cumbie was signed as a free agent 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.

Coaching career
In 2008, Cumbie began his coaching career at Texas Tech as a graduate assistant under head coach Mike Leach where he was in charge of the defensive scout team and coaching the quarterbacks. Cumbie served in this capacity for two seasons. After Leach's departure, Tommy Tuberville 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.

In 2009, Cumbie served as the head coach and director of player personnel for the San Angelo Stampede Express of the Indoor Football League. Four games into the season, Cumbie became the starting Quarterback and lead the team to the playoffs for the first time in franchise history.

Following the hiring of coach Kliff Kingsbury after the subsequent departure of Tommy Tuberville from Texas Texas, Cumbie was the only assistant retained by Kingsbury. Cumbie was promoted to co-offensive coordinator prior to the start of the 2013 season.

Personal
Cumbie was a color commentator for the Texas Tech Football Radio network for 3 seasons (2005–2008), shortly before joining the Tech coaching staff. He currently resides in Lubbock, Texas, and is married to his wife, Tamra. Cumbie graduated from Texas Tech with a bachelor's degree in History. Tamra, who is an alumna of Texas Tech, has a master's degree in Technical Communication and a PhD in Marriage and Family Therapy.