Frogs O' War - 2013 TCU Football SeasonThe #1 TCU Athletics blog on the internet!https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/50293/fow-fav.png2014-04-17T09:12:35-05:00http://www.frogsowar.com/rss/stream/35959832014-04-17T09:12:35-05:002014-04-17T09:12:35-05:00The TCU Offense: Why didn't it work in 2013?
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<figcaption>Offenses are better when this doesn't happen. | Jim Cowsert-US PRESSWIRE</figcaption>
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<p>TCU's offense was so bad that it kept the Big 12's best defense not only out of conference title contention, but out of a bowl game (and resulted in both Co-OCs being out of a job). HawkeyedFrog breaks his silence to share his thoughts on the biggest reason that the offense failed.</p> <p>*Please forgive my absence this past month folks, I've been absolutely swamped with work for my Masters and had some laptop issues that seriously threw off my groove. I'll be getting up my belated Meet the Commits posts soon, but I thought we could do with something with a little more substance first.</p>
<p>The offensive line was really, really bad. <span>Casey Pachall</span> had been away from football for a year and then broke his arm before he could get into a groove. <span>Waymon James</span> couldn't control himself (either walking out on team meetings and practices or possibly with recreational drugs). We're not running the ball enough. <span>Trevone Boykin</span> is a bad quarterback. The wide receivers can't get open. Did we just throw bubble screens on first <i>and</i> third down?</p>
<p>The list of why TCU's offense was so bad in 2013 is not a short one by any means, and depending on who you ask any of those reasons may be at the top of their list, but to me the main reason why we have two new offensive coordinators this year is best answered by another question- What kind of offense did TCU run in 2013? We're long past the point where you can just call on offense "the spread" and have that communicate any meaningful information about your offense. Over half the Big 12 runs the spread, but Oklahoma's offense doesn't look much like West Virginia's, and even less like Auburn or Oregon's spreads, so just calling an offense a spread doesn't mean a whole heck of a lot anymore. Instead you need to look closer as to what the offense is trying to accomplish by spreading the defenders out- are you trying to take advantage of fewer men in the box to run the ball up the middle? Are you counting on your slot receivers creating a mismatch against linebackers or safeties one on one? Are you leaving men unblocked to create a sort of option play? Or are you sending people downfield on routes that they can break off when they reach the open area of a zone to force the defense to defend the entire field? These are the elementary questions you should be asking when you're designing an offense- against the opponent's base defense what exactly are you trying to accomplish? This is the key to determining an offense's identity and it shouldn't vary too much week to week- your base plays should always work fairly well against a base defense, and it's up to your opponent to adjust the defense to them, compromising other areas of their defense to take away your strength and leaving other areas open, and that's when an offensive coordinator's creativity really comes out to shine with plays like screens and reverses to punish the defense for not playing honest. When the defense adjusts to those little gimmick plays and are giving you the look you like again you go right back to gashing them with your bread and butter so your offense always stays one step ahead of the game.</p>
<p>This is why, to me, the two complaints that stand out the most about TCU's offense last year are "We're not running the ball enough" and "Did we just throw another bubble screen?"- they point decidedly to a lack of offensive identity, which is a problem that TCU hasn't had in a very long time. Whether it be Fran's wishbone that whipped USC in the Sun Bowl, Schultz's short side option attack that kept TCU in constant title contention in CUSA or the zone read and inverted veer that Justin Fuente crushed the Mountain West with, TCU has always had a run first mindset as its base offense. Run the ball until the defense starts cheating to try and stop that damn option that's grinding down the clock or that inverted veer that's seeing three different running backs pick up six yards per carry, then flip it out to a speedy and talented wide receiver in space and let him go to work- whether that receiver was Cory Rodgers, Jeremey Kerley or <span>Josh Boyce</span>, the differences weren't all that great. The first time that TCU really felt like it had abandoned the running mindest was in the Fiesta Bowl (which I'll endeavor to never mention again) where the Frogs slung the ball around all evening against Boise State to very little effect.</p>
<p>The effectiveness of the offense really exploded when Mike Schultz left for Illinois and the much loved Justin Fuente took over playcalling, even though the Frogs went to a more balanced attack they had the deadly and highly innovative (at the time) inverted veer as a base play and both the running game and the passing game flourished. The reason TCU's offense flourished wasn't because of some new wrinkle in a play, though- defenses catch up really quickly, and visions of Casey Pachall running the zone veer with regularity give me night sweats (Love your long ball Casey and I'm glad you got your life on track, but you still run like you've had a few too many)- it was because Fuente mixed in the change up plays with absolute mastery. Linebackers starting to swing out to mark the quarterback on the zone read? Boom, reverse to the slot receiver who cuts straight to where the linebacker should have been. Cornerbacks are trying to jump routes because Casey is threading the needle on deep outs? Double move and Boykin is running free to the end zone. Linebacker is tired of giving one of TCU's bowling ball-like running backs a full head of steam before meeting him in the hole and starts to creep up? Play action right into his zone. Safety is playing ten yards off the slot receiver because he's gotten burned on a double move? Quick bubble screen to the slot for an easy five yards (with the potential for more if the safety isn't a sure tackler), and on and on. Yep, reverses, play action, double moves and even bubble screens- all those things that clogged down the offense so much in 2013 were present in Fuente's seasons, and were often the biggest plays of the game. In fact, TCU's offense ran most of the same plays that Fuente ran when he was here, so how did the offense get so bad?</p>
<p>Since we're in baseball season right now, think of a pitcher staring down a batter with two strikes. You've burned him twice with the fastball, but he fouled off the third and this time he's just chomping at the bit for you to throw it one more time. Instead you throw your 62 MPH offspeed, the guy takes a huge whiff and strikes out. If the guy had been expecting the off speed that ball would be six rows deep in the stands, but because you mixed it in and didn't tip that you were going to throw it you ended up with a big result. That play action pass is your change up- you call it when the defense is expecting run and good things happen, but if it's third and ten and you haven't run the ball once this entire series, the pass rushers will be by your run blocking linemen in a flash and your quarterback is eating dirt. Same for that much reviled bubble screen- if the safety isn't ten yards back, but is instead right up on the line when the ball is thrown, some guys in the stands are going to come to the conclusion that Trevone Boykin is a miserable quarterback and it's time to go to the freshman backup (I'm not going to argue that either way as I haven't ever seen Boykin in a well coordinated offense). What happens to that pitcher if he decides that the change up is his go-to pitch? The same thing that happened to the TCU offense in 2013- it gets blown up. The thing about screens, play action and reverses aren't that they're bad plays, it's that they're cheat plays. When the defense is cheating to try and take away the play that you're successful with, you mix one in and it pays off with big results to let you go back to that base play. You run a reverse of a play that you're succeeding with, you run play action off a play that you're succeeding with, you throw a bubble screen because the defense is reacting to something you succeeded with- if the defense isn't cheating they're going to get devoured, because the guy whose go-to pitch is a 62 MPH straight ball is the guy that gets demoted to the batting practice ball chucker. TCU's 2013 offense didn't have a base play, run or otherwise, that the opponent had to be sure to defend every time and as a result the Frogs were left playing rock-paper-scissors with only paper and scissors to work with. Can you go too far the other way? Absolutely- go back in time to 2006, it's third and three- what is Mike Schultz going to call? If you guessed "option to the short side of the field" you would have gotten a stop and a field goal attempt from Peter LaCoco. Not a good situation, sure, but that was still a TCU team that could out-talent a lot of opponents on offense and the defense was so good it didn't matter if the offense only got points once every five or six attempts. In 2013 TCU's offense couldn't even guarantee you a first down once out of every five or six attempts, and that's why Sonny Cumbie and Doug Meacham are now wearing purple and in the cushy offices while Jarrett Anderson and Rusty Burns have been moved to "other football related positions in the program"- in a 8x8 cell under Amon Carter stadium licking the stamps that go on TCU recruiting envelopes. Will Cumbie and Meacham end up restoring TCU to its ground based roots? I'd like it, but it wouldn't be the worst thing for TCU to move to a more air raid style offense with four verticals as its base play- those sorts of offenses <i>can</i> work in the Big 12. An offense with a bubble screen as its base play cannot.</p>
https://www.frogsowar.com/2014/4/17/5623608/the-tcu-offense-why-didnt-it-work-in-2013HawkeyedFrog2014-03-22T14:00:02-05:002014-03-22T14:00:02-05:00TCU Football Announces 2013 Team Award Winners
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<p>Several Horned Frogs were honored, including Jason Verrett and Casey Pachall. </p> <p>Several Horned Frogs received team honors on Friday night, including Jason Verrett, Casey Pachall, and Tevone Boykin.</p>
<p>Here's the full release from SID Mark Cohen:</p>
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<div>The TCU football program honored its 2013 senior class at <span class="aBn"><span class="aQJ">Friday</span></span> night's team banquet in the Brown-Lupton University Union.</div>
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<div>The seniors had a 35-16 record while taking part in two conference championships and winning the 2011 Rose Bowl. The class was 3-1 against top-five ranked opponents, 2-1 in bowl games and 17-7 at Amon G. Carter Stadium.</div>
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<div>In voting by his teammates, cornerback Jason Verrett was selected as TCU's Dan Rogers Most Valuable Player for the second consecutive season. Last year, Verrett became the first defensive back to receive the award since cornerback Tony Rand in 1992.</div>
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<div>Verrett became the second defensive player in TCU history and just the sixth overall to be a two-time recipient of the Dan Rogers Most Valuable Player award. Previous two-time winners were defensive end Jerry Hughes, (2008-09), quarterback Jeff Ballard (2005-06), tailback LaDainian Tomlinson (1999-00), offensive lineman W.C. Nix (1985-86) and wide receiver Mike Renfro (1976-77).</div>
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<div>Verrett, who received his TCU degree in December, was a first-team All-American for the second straight year and the 2013 Co-Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year. He was a semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award, presented to the nation's top defensive back, and a quarterfinalist for the Lott IMPACT Trophy.</div>
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<div>Despite not many balls being thrown his way, he ranked second in the Big 12 and tied for seventh nationally with 1.5 passes defended per game (two interceptions, 14 pass breakups).</div>
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<div>Since the start of the 2012 season, Verrett topped the nation with 38 passes defended (eight interceptions, 30 pass breakups). In his final game as a Horned Frog, he limited Antwan Goodley, Baylor's leading receiver, to just one catch for 12 yards while also breaking up two passes. Verrett held Texas Tech's Eric Ward, who had 72 receptions, without a catch for the entire game. When lined up against LSU's Odell Beckham Jr., he allowed just one reception.</div>
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<div>Trevone Boykin was selected as TCU's Offensive Most Valuable Player. He had team-high totals of seven rushing touchdowns, seven passing touchdowns and 14 total scores. He placed second on TCU in rushing yards (313) and passing yards (1,198) as well as fifth in receptions (26).</div>
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<div>Boykin became the first Horned Frog in history and the only player in the nation last season to record a 100-yard rushing game, 100-yard receiving game and 200-yard passing game. With his 101 yards rushing at Texas Tech, he was the first TCU quarterback since 1987 to run for 100 yards. He also became the first Horned Frog in history to lead in passing yards (133) and receptions (three) in the same game during a 38-17 win over Southeastern Louisiana.</div>
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<div>Boykin ran for all three of TCU's touchdowns, including a 1-yard carry for the go-ahead score with 38 seconds to play, in a 21-17 win at Iowa State. The three rushing touchdowns came on just five carries. His career-best 11 receptions for 100 yards against West Virginia were the most by a Horned Frog in 13 seasons under head coach Gary Patterson, the highest total by a TCU player since 1995 and tied for eighth most in a game in TCU history.</div>
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<div>Placekicker Jaden Oberkrom was named the Special Teams Most Valuable Player for the second straight season. An honorable-mention All-Big 12 selection, Oberkrom was 14-of-18 on field goals, including a 13-of-14 mark on attempts inside 50 yards. His career-best 56-yard field goal gave TCU the lead at Kansas State with <span class="aBn"><span class="aQJ">2:13</span></span> to play and tied for the second-longest made kick in school history. It was also just 1-yard shy of a school record.</div>
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<div>Oberkrom was perfect on his 37 extra-point attempts, giving him a streak of 79 consecutive makes which ties the TCU career record and is third nationally among active placekickers.</div>
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<div><b>2013 TCU Football Team Award Winners</b></div>
<div>Defensive Scout Team Most Valuable Players – George Baltimore (Mansfield, Texas)</div>
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<span>Offensive Scout Team Most Valuable Player </span>–<span> Daniel Walsh (San Diego, Calif.)</span>
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<span>Davey O'Brien Fightin'est Frog Award </span>–<span> Casey Pachall (Brownwood, Texas)</span>
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<span>Grassy Hinton Most Conscientious Award </span>–<span> Casey Pachall (Brownwood, Texas)</span>
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<span>Y.Q. McCammon Outstanding Squadman </span>–<span> Tanner Campbell (Houston, Texas)</span>
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<span>Abe Martin Leadership Award </span>–<span> Jon Koontz (Aledo, Texas)</span>
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<span>Ralph Lowe Sportsmanship Award </span>–<span> Sam Carter (Alief, Texas)</span>
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<div>G. Malcolm Louden Academic Achievement Award – John Wooldridge (Houston, Texas)</div>
<div>Special Teams Points Award – Jaden Oberkrom (Arlington, Texas)</div>
<div>Special Teams Most Valuable Player – Jaden Oberkrom (Arlington, Texas)</div>
<div>Defensive Most Valuable Player – Jason Verrett (Fairfield, Calif.)</div>
<div>Offensive Most Valuable Player – Trevone Boykin (Mesquite, Texas)</div>
<div>Dan Rogers Most Valuable Player – Jason Verrett (Fairfield, Calif.) <br>
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https://www.frogsowar.com/2014/3/22/5536794/tcu-football-announces-2013-team-award-winnersJamie Plunkett2014-01-28T20:33:09-06:002014-01-28T20:33:09-06:00TCU DE Devonte Fields Attacked/Robbed At FW Home
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<figcaption>TCU Defensive End Devonte Fields assaulted during robbery of his Fort Worth residence. | Jerome Miron-US PRESSWIRE</figcaption>
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<p>TCU 360 is out with an intense story of Devonte Fields being robbed, threatened, shot at and more at his Fort Worth residence.</p> <p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.tcu360.com/campus/2014/01/19220.tcu-defensive-end-devonte-fields-attacked-and-robbed-campus-home">The story from TCU 360:</a></p>
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<p>TCU defensive end <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/161275/devonte-fields">Devonte Fields</a> was attacked at his home on the 3200 block of S. University early Tuesday morning, according to a Fort Worth Police Department incident report.</p>
<p>The report said that Fields went outside to start his car, and then returned to his house when three suspects came up behind him. One of the suspects hit Fields on the top of the head with a black semi-automatic pistol and pushed him into his house.</p>
<p>Two of the three suspects began to assault Fields with their fists, while the third suspect stole items including a cellphone and an Xbox video game system, according to the report.</p>
<p>The struggle between Fields and the suspects ended up on the driveway. One of the suspects then pointed a semi-automatic pistol at Fields and told him he was going to kill him, according to the report.</p>
<p>The report said Fields grabbed the right forearm of one of the suspects and five shots were fired into the air.</p>
<p>The three suspects then fled in an older, black Honda vehicle that was parked on S. University, according to the report.</p>
<p>The report said Fields then went to the TCU testing center instead of remaining at the scene.</p>
<p>According to the report, Fields originally consented to a police search of his residence, but changed his mind upon arrival. Fields also told police he did not want to press charges.</p>
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<p>I think I speak for everyone when I say, HOLY FUCKING SHIT!</p>
https://www.frogsowar.com/2014/1/28/5356074/devonte-fields-attacked-during-robery-tcu-defensive-end-assaultedDr. Frasier Crane, MD, Ph.D2013-12-18T12:46:51-06:002013-12-18T12:46:51-06:00TCU Makes The Cumbie Hiring Official
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<img alt="Sonny Cumbie is coming to TCU" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/S46qqE7JO5Il1h-LHKCxbXrp3AI=/0x237:2647x2002/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/25371669/20131124_mje_se2_151.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Sonny Cumbie is coming to TCU | Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>With the formal announcement, we learn once and for all: Fungo's sources are better than Stefan's.</p> <p>Here is the formal announcement from TCU Athletics:</p>
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<p>TCU head football coach Gary Patterson has announced the hiring of Sonny Cumbie as co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.</p>
<p>Cumbie will share the offensive coordinator duties with Doug Meacham, who was hired last week after serving as co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at the University of Houston this year.</p>
<p>Cumbie joins the Horned Frogs after serving the last four seasons as an assistant coach at Texas Tech. He was co-offensive coordinator and outside receivers coach in 2013.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>"We're very excited to have Coach Cumbie on staff," Patterson said. "We were highly impressed with him as a player and then as a coach. He is an outstanding recruiter and well liked and respected within the state of Texas."</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>From 2005-09, during the AFL's off seasons, Cumbie served on the Texas Tech Sports Network as an analyst.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>Cumbie and his wife, Tamra, are both natives of Snyder, Texas. They have a son, Grey.</p>
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https://www.frogsowar.com/2013/12/18/5224542/tcu-announces-hiring-of-cumbie-as-co-offensive-coordinator-qbs-coachDr. Frasier Crane, MD, Ph.D2013-12-14T16:39:48-06:002013-12-14T16:39:48-06:00FWST: Sonny Cumbie Taking A Demotion To Join TCU
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<p>In an article published Saturday afternoon on the FWST website, Stefan Stevenson reported that while Cumbie had been hired by TCU, it wasn't as a coordinator.</p> <p>Although the <a href="http://www.star-telegram.com/2013/12/14/5418440/cumbie-joins-tcu-staff-from-tech.html" target="_blank">FWST report confirmed the FOW report</a> of Cumbie's hire, it did include this piece of information that contradicted our report:</p>
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<p>Sonny Cumbie will be the Horned Frogs' next quarterback coach, several sources close to the program have confirmed.</p>
<p>Cumbie comes from Texas Tech where he has been an assistant. He spent the 2013 season as the Red Raiders' co-offensive coordinator and outside receivers coach. Cumbie joins Doug Meacham who was recently hired to be TCU's offensive coordinator.</p>
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<p>And this:</p>
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<p>Sonny Cumbie will not share co-OC title w/ Doug Meacham at TCU & will earn nominal raise from $210K Tech salary, according to source.</p>
— Stefan Stevenson (@FollowtheFrogs) <a href="https://twitter.com/FollowtheFrogs/statuses/411926966015516672">December 14, 2013</a>
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<p>Stefan has great sources, I trust him. The differences between this report and ours may just be semantics, though, for Cumbie may have traded his title for the opportunity to have a say in the offense, or to coach the quarterbacks directly.</p>
<p>And, what is a substantial raise for me might just be nominal to Stefan. The number that has been floated to me was $250,000, representing about a 20% increase. Is that nominal or significant?</p>
<p>Whatever the case may be, the central question remains... Why take a demotion to come to TCU? I imagine we will know more in the coming days, but for now, enjoy yourselves, Frog fans.</p>
https://www.frogsowar.com/2013/12/14/5211136/fwst-sonny-cumbie-taking-a-demotion-to-join-tcuDr. Frasier Crane, MD, Ph.D2013-12-14T12:06:28-06:002013-12-14T12:06:28-06:00Getting to Know You: Sonny Cumbie Edition
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<figcaption>Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Now that the hire has been confirmed by Fungo and his sources, let's get to know TCU's new co-Offensive Coordinator a bit.</p> <p>UPDATE (12/14/13, 1:30 p.m.): Several folks are now saying that Cumbie will not be co-OC, but a position coach (presumably QB).</p>
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<p>Sonny Cumbie will not share co-OC title w/ Doug Meacham at TCU & will earn nominal raise from $210K Tech salary, according to source.</p>
— Stefan Stevenson (@FollowtheFrogs) <a href="https://twitter.com/FollowtheFrogs/statuses/411926966015516672">December 14, 2013</a>
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<p>When Gary Patterson said he was going to act fast to fix this offense, we all should have listened. He went out and got <a target="_blank" href="http://www.frogsowar.com/2013/12/3/5172818/tcu-hires-doug-meacham">Doug Meacham</a>, offensive coordinator at the University of Houston, within a few days of the Baylor loss.</p>
<p>As it turns out, Meacham works quickly too, having already <a target="_blank" href="http://www.frogsowar.com/2013/12/13/5207772/tcu-snags-2014-commit">flipped an Arkansas commit</a>, and now having hired a co-OC and QB coach in Sonny Cumbie. According to multiple people Meacham and Cumbie have been fast friends for a long time, and have discussed working together before. Once Meacham got to TCU he made it clear he wanted Cumbie on board too.</p>
<p>Sonny Cumbie comes by way of Lubbock, Texas, where he has spent the entirety of his coaching career at Texas Tech in various roles.</p>
<p>Beginning in 2009, Cumbie was a graduate assistant under Mike Leach, and was responsible for the defensive scout team and coaching quarterbacks. With the Tuberville hire in 2010, Cumbie was promoted to inside receivers coach where he remained until Kingsbury's hiring this past offseason. Kingsbury promoted him to co-offensive coordinator. He's also continued coaching wide receivers this year according to his profile on<a target="_blank" href="http://www.texastech.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/cumbie_sonny01.html"> texastech.com</a>.</p>
<p>Cumbie was also a quarterback for Texas Tech, and in 2004 he threw for 4,742 yards and 32 touchdowns, and lead Texas Tech to the Holiday Bowl (Yes, he was the quarterback in that 70-35 shellacking the Frogs took in Lubbock that year).</p>
<p>Cumbie spend several years in the Arena Football League, playing for the Los Angeles Avengers, before becoming the Head Coach and Director of Player Personnel (AND starting quarterback) for the San Angelo Stampede of the Indoor Football League.</p>
<p>In short, this guy really knows offense.</p>
<p>As Fungo said earlier, there's still no word on what's happening with Burns and Anderson, but it looks like Curtis Luper will be sticking around after withdrawing his name from consideration for the head coaching gig at Stephen F. Austin.</p>
https://www.frogsowar.com/2013/12/14/5210358/getting-to-know-you-sonny-cumbie-editionJamie Plunkett2013-12-14T10:42:19-06:002013-12-14T10:42:19-06:00CONFIRMED: Sonny Cumbie Is Headed To TCU
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<img alt="Sonny Cumbie has accepted a position at TCU." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/1dZze9vmr35hbBiuMvkLPrL9-zA=/39x0:526x325/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/25121701/6796986.0.jpeg" />
<figcaption>Sonny Cumbie has accepted a position at TCU. | Texas Tech Athletics</figcaption>
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<p>Word spread yesterday amongst current and former Texas Tech players that Sonny Cumbie had formally accepted an offer from TCU and would be leaving Lubbock, Texas for Fort Worth, Texas.</p> <p>Several sources confirmed to Frogs O' War this morning that Sonny Cumbie had officially accepted the position of offensive coordinator at TCU and would be leaving Texas Tech. Cumbie will be a co-offensive coordinator alongside Doug Meacham. According to these sources, several high school coaches were informed Friday of the move, along with current Texas Tech recruits and commits.</p>
<p>The hiring process, which can take more than five days, should conclude next week. Cumbie is expected to receive a substantial pay raise at TCU compared to the $210,000 salary he collected at Tech.</p>
<p>Friday, Tech coach Kliff Kingsbury acknowledged a job offer had been made to Cumbie but did not mention if he had or had not accepted it. Requests for comment from TCU Athletics were denied.</p>
<p>There has been no formal statement regarding the status of current TCU offensive coordinators, Rusty Burns and Jarrett Anderson, but Fort Worth Star Telegram sources quoted earlier this week indicated both coached had been offered "other positions within TCU athletics."</p>
<p>More on this story as it develops...</p>
https://www.frogsowar.com/2013/12/14/5210188/confirmed-sonny-cumbie-is-headed-to-tcuDr. Frasier Crane, MD, Ph.D2013-12-13T09:58:45-06:002013-12-13T09:58:45-06:00(UPDATED)RUMOR: Texas Tech OC Cumbie Headed To TCU
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<img alt="Sonny Cumbie could be headed to TCU to join Doug Meacham as co-offensive coordinators." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Orx_iV6b8JYAlkOTLNcsa5ztXtw=/0x0:2298x1532/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/25066087/20131124_mje_se2_152.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Sonny Cumbie could be headed to TCU to join Doug Meacham as co-offensive coordinators. | Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The rumor, which has been gaining steam over the last 48 hours amongst Tech and TCU fan sites, says that Cumbie would be making a lateral move to TCU to join Doug Meacham as Co-Offensive Coordinators.</p> <p>UDPATE (12/14 11:00am): FOW can confirm this is a done deal, <a href="http://www.frogsowar.com/2013/12/14/5210188/confirmed-sonny-cumbie-is-headed-to-tcu" target="_blank">Cumbie to TCU.</a></p>
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<p>UPDATE (12/14 9:00am): Coach Kliff Kingsbury commented yesterday on Cumbie's status.</p>
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<p>Kingsbury had little to offer Friday about speculation Sonny Cumbie will be hired at TCU, but said he would understand if it comes to pass.<br><br>"I think it's a credit to what he's done here," Kingsbury said. "I think if he does take that job, we'll be proud he's coveted in that manner, that they'd reach out to him. That's the way the profession goes. When you have success like he's had, you're going to try to progress and move forward in your career."</p>
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<p>To me, that sounds like a guy who knows his coach is leaving but nothing is official yet. This has all the signs of happening. We will know something mid next week.</p>
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<p>UPDATE (12/13 1:25pm): Alex Apple has retracted his earlier report, back to rumor status.</p>
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<p>UPDATE (12/13/13, 1:14 p.m.): Sonny Cumbie has officially been hired by TCU. - Jamie P.</p>
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<p>Breaking news: <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23TCU&src=hash">#TCU</a> has hired former Texas Tech co-OC Sonny Cumbie on its football staff, likely to again be co-offensive coordinator</p>
— Alex Apple (@AlexAppleDFW) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlexAppleDFW/statuses/411574481904087042">December 13, 2013</a>
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<p>Sonny Cumbie has change his Twitter handle. Find him here: <a href="https://twitter.com/SonnyCumbieTCU">@SonnyCumbieTCU</a></p>
— Alex Apple (@AlexAppleDFW) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlexAppleDFW/statuses/411574594886049792">December 13, 2013</a>
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<script charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></p>
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<p>The rumor, which has yet to be confirmed by any major media sources or the institutions themselves, claims that Cumbie was convinced to join the Horned Frogs staff due to his desire to coach QBs directly. A substantial pay raise is also believed to be in the works for Cumbie, who only made a reported $210,000 at Tech.</p>
<p>Adding more fuel to the fire Friday was the posting of a job opening on the TCU HR website, a typical precursor to any athletics hiring. A similar posting was made days prior to the Doug Meacham hiring last month.</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://cdn2.sbnation.com/assets/3715537/12-13-2013_9-45-11_AM.png"><img src="http://cdn3.sbnation.com/assets/3715537/12-13-2013_9-45-11_AM_medium.png" class="photo" alt="12-13-2013_9-45-11_am_medium"></a> <br id="1386950176713"></p>
<p>More on this as it develops.</p>
https://www.frogsowar.com/2013/12/13/5207172/rumor-texas-tech-offensive-coordinator-sonny-cumbie-headed-to-tcuDr. Frasier Crane, MD, Ph.D