Former Texas Tech QB Sonny Cumbie Our Guest On ClayNation Radio
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
For those of you who listened, you don't need this recap, but I know the 7-9 central hour doesn't fit everyone's schedule. So here goes with a bit of a recap from what Cumbie said during our interview.
As background Cumbie was the quarterback under Leach at Texas Tech for one season, 2004. During that year he passed for 4,700 yards and led Tech to an upset of Cal in the bowl game during which he threw for 520 yards. Here is his wikipedia bio.
In particular Chad Withrow and I were interested in exploring and, potentially, exploding some of the myths surrounding Leach. As a former player who now works in the local media we believed that Cumbie represented the perfect nexus to provide both a player and media experience. Here were my takeaways from Cumbie's comments on Leach.
1. Cumbie has no doubt Leach's offense would work in the SEC. There shouldn't be any doubt it would work based on the Leach offense in Lexington for two seasons or after watching it against Texas and Oklahoma, but Cumbie says he has no doubts it will work here.
2. The media and fans in Lubbock love Leach. This is despite the fact that Lubbock is a very West Texas-centric town and that Leach came in and replaced a West Texas boy, and Lubbock native, in Spike Dykes. Leach is eccentric but respectful, and Cumbie doesn't think he'd have trouble in a different setting.
3. As a head coach, Cumbie has seen Leach evolve as it comes to defense. Leach doesn't supervise each set or play (he allows his coordinators to do that) but he is very involved in the defensive philosophy and has come to understand that his offense can't work standing alone.
4. Lubbock isn't that small of a town, over 200,000 people live there. In fact the city of Knoxville has less city residents than Lubbock does. I know many Tennessee fans have been concerned that Leach hasn't been sufficiently exposed to a large-town atmosphere. I got news for you, Knoxville ain't a large town atmosphere either. Granted UT has many more rabid fans than Texas Tech, but to act like Leach has been coaching in the middle of nowhere, like Fayetteville, Arkansas, is ludicrous.
5. Leach is very involved in recruiting and is particularly good at talking with recruits. Cumbie pointed out that Leach can talk about anything under the sun and has been, of late, swamped with offensive players who want to come to his school and be involved in his system. As Cumbie put it, "Fifth string wide receivers catch more balls here than first string guys do at most places."
6. Leach's offense is flexible enough to take advantage of what the quarterback does well. Cumbie said that Leach molds the offense around his signal caller but that intelligence is a must.
7. When he arrived at Texas Tech Leach inherited an old-school power football team. Many of the players were uncertain about Leach's philosophies. But he won them over by proving the results. Given we currently have an offense that has only scored more than 14 points once in six SEC games, I think our guys would come around as well.
Basically, after talking with Cumbie, I think you can be for or against the hire of Mike Leach. (As I've said before, I want him). But I don't think you can argue that the offense wouldn't work in the SEC, that Leach's personality is too abrasive to cut it in the South, that Leach doesn't understand defenses, or that the players would rebel against him. You'll have to find your reasons elsewhere. Labels: mike leach sonny cumbie interview claynation radio
Posted by Clay Travis at 9:35 AM
 
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A-a would be upset for knocking Fayetteville like that. From Wikipedia,
"As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 58,047. However, a special census completed in June 2006 showed the population to be 67,158. Along with the Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers area, the metro population is estimated at 420,876."
Its easy to compare population numbers but come on, Lubbock is a wasteland and more "middle of nowhere" than Fayetteville could ever be. That being said Hog fans were adamant about not wanting Leach last year. I think he'd do alright in the SEC so hope Tenn gets him.
420,876 people live in the Metro area? That seems huge. I have no idea what surrounds Lubbock, but 200k live in the city proper.
Apologies to A-a.