Team Taking a Chance on Cumbie at Quarterback

When Sonny Cumbie played for Texas Tech, he waited three years backing up Kliff Klingsbury and B.J. Symons before becoming the Red Raiders’ starting quarterback.

Cumbie needed only four weeks before getting the nod with the Avengers, who will give him his first Arena Football League start tonight against Utah at Staples Center.

“It is kind of crazy when, only three weeks ago, I was running the scout team offense,” said Cumbie, who led the NCAA in passing with 4,742 yards and 32 touchdowns as a senior in 2004. “Everything has happened so fast, but I know what I have to do and I feel that I’m ready.”

With the Avengers on a three-game losing streak, Coach Ed Hodgkiss decided to replace Brian Mann with Cumbie on Tuesday. Cumbie, who played in the final minutes of the Avengers’ loss to Chicago last week, was on the injured list for the first two weeks of the season but was activated when the Avengers waived Ryan Van Dyke a week ago.

“You make changes when you don’t win,” Hodgkiss said. “I made this move not because Brian hasn’t been playing well. We haven’t been playing well as a team and this change was done to hopefully give us a spark.”

For Cumbie, who completed five of nine passes for 39 yards last week, his main job will be to not turn the ball over, something Mann and Van Dyke did over the last two games.

“Last week was a good starting point for me,” said Cumbie, who signed a two-year deal with the Avengers before the start of the season. “I think I have a good grasp of the offense and I’m pretty comfortable with any play that we call. Coach Hodgkiss will not have to dummy-down the offense for me.”

After Mann started the first two games of the season, Hodgkiss called on Van Dyke at Grand Rapids. In that game, Van Dyke had problems early and Hodgkiss replaced him with Mann, who played the final three quarters.

Cumbie is expected to get a longer opportunity to prove himself this week.

“Even though he doesn’t really have Arena football experience and he’s being somewhat thrown to the wolves, I don’t expect to have a quick hook with Cumbie,” Hodgkiss said.

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TONIGHT

vs. Utah, 7:30, FSN West

Site -- Staples Center.

Radio -- 690.

Records (2005) -- Avengers 1-3, Blaze 1-3.

Record vs. Rush (2005) -- This will be the teams’ first meeting.

Update -- Despite their poor record, the Avengers are in a tie for first place in the Western Division with Utah and three other teams. The Blaze, which is coached by former Dallas Cowboy quarterback Danny White, has lost three straight following a season-opening victory over San Jose. Lineman Silas Demary is expected back in the Avenger lineup after being sidelined because of broken fingers. Kevin Ingram leads the Avengers with 28 catches for 432 yards and seven touchdowns.