Sonny Cumbie, hired by Louisiana Tech, will still coach Red Raiders in bowl game

Louisiana Tech named Sonny Cumbie its next head football coach on Tuesday, but Cumbie is not quite through with his duties as Texas Tech's interim head coach.

Cumbie will return to lead the Red Raiders from Dec. 13 through their bowl game, athletics director Kirby Hocutt told the team Tuesday night. Hocutt said running backs coach DeAndre Smith will be the "program leader" responsible for overseeing the day-to-day schedule and any practice activity before Dec. 13.

"Sonny's agreed to do it," Hocutt said. "Louisiana Tech's agreed they're acceptable to that plan."

Hocutt said he's asking any other member of the 2021 Tech staff that may get a job elsewhere to come back and take part in bowl preparations. Special-teams coach Mark Tommerdahl has made public that he's joining Sonny Dykes' new staff at TCU.

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Dec. 13 is the start of a multi-week dead period for recruiting on the NCAA calendar. That makes it more workable for Cumbie to come back and lead the Red Raiders for their last game. Tech will learn its bowl destination and opponent on Sunday.

"I’d like to personally congratulate Sonny Cumbie on being named the next head coach at Louisiana Tech,” Hocutt said in a statement Tech released. "I think anyone that knows Sonny can feel the passion and love he has for Texas Tech University and West Texas, and he brought that every day this past year as our offensive coordinator and most recently as our interim head coach.

"Make no mistake, we intend to compete and win whatever bowl game we are selected for later this week. For that to happen, I feel it is in the best interest of our student-athletes for Coach Cumbie to return and lead our team one final time."

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Louisiana Tech has called a press conference for noon Wednesday to introduce Cumbie.

Hocutt appointed Cumbie as interim head coach upon the Oct. 25 dismissal of Matt Wells. He coached the Red Raiders in the last four games of the regular season. Highlighting that stretch was a 41-38 upset of Iowa State.

Tech hired Joey McGuire on Nov. 8 to be its next head coach. McGuire announced on Nov. 24 that he was going to retain Cumbie as offensive coordinator.

Cumbie will owe Tech a buyout of $250,000 for leaving before his contract ends on Jan. 31, 2024.

This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Sonny Cumbie, hired by Louisiana Tech, will still coach Red Raiders in bowl game