Football
- Title:
- Co-Offensive Coordinator/QBs Coach | 3rd season
Sonny Cumbie joined the TCU football staff in December 2013 and made an immediate impact upon his arrival in Fort Worth.
In his first season at TCU, Cumbie helped the Horned Frogs become the nation’s most improved offense in total yards (+188.2 ypg) and scoring (+21.4 ppg). TCU’s 21.4 points per game improvement broke the Big 12 record of 19.1 set by Oklahoma in 1999 (35.8; 16.7, 1998) and was the largest improvement by any team since Northwestern went up 24.0 points between 1999-00.The 2014 Horned Frogs ranked second in the nation in scoring (46.5 ppg) and tied for fifth in total offense (533.0 ypg). TCU set 26 school records for offense in winning its first Big 12 championship as well as the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.
In 2015, for the second straight year, TCU set single-season school records in several major statistical categories. Additionally, the Horned Frogs ranked third nationally in total offense (562.8 yards per game) and seventh in scoring (42.1 points per game).Cumbie was instrumental in the development of Trevone Boykin into a two-time All-American and two-time finalist for the Davey O’Brien Award. Boykin, who earned 2014 Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year honors, was fourth in Heisman Trophy voting as a junior while tying for ninth as a senior in 2015. He signed with the Seattle Seahawks.In the 2016 Valero Alamo Bowl, Cumbie was key in quarterback Bram Kohlhausen rallying the Horned Frogs from a 31-0 halftime deficit to a 47-41 triple-overtime victory over Oregon. Making his first collegiate start, Kohlhausen earned Valero Alamo Bowl Offensive Most Valuable Player honors while also being named to the Associated Press All-Bowl Team after completing 28-of-45 passes for 351 yards and two touchdowns to go with two rushing scores.
The 2017 season saw TCU earn a trip to the Big 12 Championship Game and an AP Top 10 national ranking. Kenny Hill set a TCU season record for completion percentage (67.2) while leading the nation in third-down completion percentage (67.3). In two separate games, including the Valero Alamo Bowl when he was named the Offensive Most Valuable Player, Hill threw a touchdown pass, ran for a score and had a receiving touchdown. All other players in the nation combined to accomplish the feat just once in 2017.
In 2019, Max Duggan broke TCU true freshman records with 2,077 yards passing and 15 touchdown passes. He also placed second on the Horned Frogs with 555 yards rushing and six scores. He did not throw an interception with the first 143 pass attempts of his career, the second-longest streak in TCU history (154, Jeff Ballard, 2006) and third-longest since 2008 for a Power 5 true freshman quarterback to begin his career without a pick. Duggan was named honorable-mention Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year. Additionally, he was the Davey O'Brien Award National Quarterback of the Week after a 37-27 win over Texas.
Cumbie came to the Horned Frogs after serving four seasons as an assistant coach at Texas Tech. He was co-offensive coordinator and outside receivers coach in 2013.
Cumbie stepped into a play-calling role as interim offensive coordinator when the Red Raiders totaled 429 yards in a 34-31 win over Minnesota in the 2012 Meineke Car Care Bowl.
In 2012, Cumbie coached a pair of 1,000-yard receivers in Darrin Moore and Eric Ward. The 2011 Red Raiders featured the seventh-best passing offense in the nation with 4,145 yards. A total of 13 different receivers had 10 or more catches over the course of the campaign. In Cumbie’s first season in 2010, the Red Raiders totaled 4,146 receiving yards and 39 touchdowns.
During his years as a student-athlete at Texas Tech, Cumbie worked diligently and waited patiently for his chance to serve as a starting quarterback. That opportunity came in 2004, when he led the Red Raiders to an 8-4 record. Texas Tech twice reached the 70-point mark. Cumbie capped the season by passing for 520 yards and earning Holiday Bowl Most Valuable Player honors in a 45-31 victory over No. 4 California. The 520 yards remain a Holiday Bowl record. Cumbie finished the season with 4,472 yards passing, the fifth-best total in school history and seventh best all-time in the NCAA. Cumbie received All-Big 12 honors on the field and in the classroom. He has a bachelor’s degree in history.
Following graduation, Cumbie went on to play for the Los Angeles Avengers of the Arena Football League. As a rookie in 2006, he started 12 games and set a franchise record for most passes attempted without an interception (252). He was named to the AFL All-Rookie Team and was a finalist for Rookie of the Year. Upon completion of the 2006 season, Cumbie was signed by the Baltimore Ravens. Cumbie was back in the AFL in 2007, passing for 83 touchdowns in leading the Avengers to their first playoff victory in franchise history.
From 2005-09, during the AFL’s off seasons, Cumbie served on the Texas Tech Sports Network as an analyst.
After the AFL ceased operations before the start of the 2009 season, Cumbie became the head coach and director of player personnel for the San Angelo Stampede of the Indoor Football League. Four games into the season, Cumbie added starting quarterback to his list of responsibilities. As he did with the Avengers, Cumbie led the Stampede to the playoffs and their first postseason win.
Cumbie and his wife, Tamra, are both natives of Snyder, Texas. They have two sons: Grey and Hays.
