Hall of Fame
Position: Linebacker
Years: 1976-79
Place of Birth: Tyler, Texas
Date of Birth: July 5, 1956
Jersey Number: 28
Height: 6 ft 0 in
Weight: 220 lb
High School: Bishop Gorman Cathloic (Tyler, Texas)
A dominant force at linebacker, George Cumby anchored one of the most successful defensive eras in Oklahoma history with the Sooners finishing in the top 10 all four of his seasons in Norman. The Gorman, Texas, native now becomes the 25th Oklahoma player to enter the NFF College Football Hall of Fame.
Playing under NFF Hall of Fame head coach Barry Switzer, Cumby helped guide Oklahoma to a 41-6-1 overall record, four Big Eight championships, and four consecutive bowl appearances, including victories in the 1976 Fiesta Bowl and three consecutive Orange Bowl berths with victories in the last two.
Cumby earned two First Team All-America selections, including unanimous honors as a senior in 1979, and was recognized as the Big Eight Defensive Player of the Year in both 1978 and 1979. A three-time First Team All-Big Eight selection and the league's Defensive Newcomer of the Year in 1976, he led the Sooners to a dominant 20-1 conference record as a starter.
Oklahoma finished ranked in the national top 10 in each of his four seasons—No. 5 in 1976, No. 7 in 1977, and No. 3 in both 1978 and 1979—while ranking in the Associated Press Top 10 in 55 of 58 weeks during his career. His Sooner teammates in the NFF Hall of Fame include Dewey Selmon, Lee Roy Selom, Billy Sims and Joe Washington.
Despite spending his first collegiate season on offense at fullback, Cumby finished his career ranked second all-time at Oklahoma with 437 tackles, a mark that stood as a testament to his durability and production. He led the Sooners in tackles twice, recording 154 stops in 1977 and 160 in 1979, and set the school record for career tackles in bowl games with 32. Cumby also ranks third all-time at Oklahoma in career interceptions by a linebacker (seven) and concluded his career with 36 consecutive starts, along with 16 tackles for loss and five fumble recoveries.
Selected in the first round (26th overall) of the 1980 NFL Draft by Green Bay, Cumby played six seasons with the Packers, earning Second Team All-Pro honors in 1982. He concluded his professional career with the Buffalo Bills in 1986 and the Philadelphia Eagles in 1987.
After his playing career, Cumby returned to his hometown of Tyler, TX, where he coached football at Texas College and Tyler Junior College. He also coached at his alma mater Bishop Gorman Catholic School. An ordained minister, Cumby has served as a pastor with several churches.
