Lousiana Tech and Sonny Cumbie have agreed upon one of the most fascinating contract extensions in recent memory, and perhaps a sign of things to come.
The two sides have agreed on a 3-year extension that will see Cumbie's salary drop to $755,000. The move comes on the heels of an 8-5 season with a win in the Independence Bowl, Louisiana Tech's best season in four years under Cumbie.
Cumbie's original deal, signed June 23, 2022, called for him to make $1 million. However, that deal expired on Jan. 31, 2027, so this structure allows for Cumbie to accept less money in salary for the 2026 season while guaranteed him more money in the aggregate.
"We needed to figure out an opportunity to reset the contract," said La Tech AD Ryan Ivey. "I appreciate what Sonny has done and his willingness to have that conversation. I think that says a lot about his character; his willingness to take a pay cut and create an opportunity to help reinvest -- reallocate -- those funds back into the program. It will help the program have success.
"In this day and age, some coaches aren't willing to do that. To most of them, it's about self-preservation. That is not the case with Sonny and what we have been able to do with this. I think it was the right thing to do by Sonny. I think it was the right thing to do by the program. And I think it was the right thing to do by our student athletes."
Louisiana Tech will now place $155,000 a year it is not paying to Cumbie "toward programmatic causes, including player-enhanced benefits," which is a long-winded way of saying they're giving it to the players.
"My family and I are extremely excited to get this done and to be at Louisiana Tech," said Cumbie. "Our goal is to continue to win football games that will allow us to continue to build the program and stay in Ruston. My family and I love this community. We love the city and the campus community. We look forward to having a great future here."
Cumbie's incentive structure was not included in Thursday's announcement, but his original deal called for bonuses ranging from $25,000 for beating a non-New Year's bowl game invite all the way to $500,000 for a national championship.
Since the advent of the new rev share era, we've seen coaches take voluntary pay cuts to re-invest in their rosters, ranging from $1 million by Brent Venables ahead of last season to UTEP's Scotty Walden donating $80,000 earlier Thursday. But I'm having a hard time recalling the last time a coach in good standing agreeing to an extension at a smaller salary than he worked for previously.
If Cumbie is the first, he won't be the last.