Colorado State Defensive Coordinator Departs Mid-Game After Demotion
Tyson Summers was replaced as playcaller in the first half of a blowout loss and subsequently left the team.
Colorado State defensive coordinator Tyson Summers has departed the program immediately after being relieved of his playcalling duties during Saturday's 56-26 loss to Oregon State. The demotion occurred in the first half, with new head coach Jim Mora Jr. replacing Summers with Kenny McClendon.
Mora confirmed Summers' immediate departure after the game, stating that the decision to leave the sidelines was Summers' own. "He made the decision on his own to leave the field, and he is no longer with the program," Mora said. He added that while he removed Summers from playcalling, he did not instruct him to leave the field.
The Rams have struggled defensively this season, with the team now 2-3 after the loss. They have allowed an average of 38.6 points per game, conceding 193 points in five contests. The previous week saw Colorado State lose 59-45 to UTSA.
Summers was retained by Mora for the 2026 season, having been re-hired by the Rams in 2024 under former head coach Jay Norvell. He previously served as Colorado State's defensive coordinator in 2014. "I'm incredibly honored and excited to be back at Colorado State," Summers had said upon his re-hiring.
Summers also served as interim head coach for Colorado State at the end of the 2025 season, where he went 0-5 in his five games. Prior to that, he was the head coach at Georgia Southern from 2016 to 2017, compiling a record of 5-7 in his first season and being fired after an 0-6 start in his second year. His coaching career spans over 20 years and includes roles at Florida, Georgia, and Colorado.
McClendon, who moved to Colorado State as defensive line coach alongside Mora, will continue to call plays. He and Mora previously worked together for four years in Connecticut. The Rams are scheduled to play Texas State next week.
