Colorado State University’s football program made a significant mid-game change during its Saturday home loss to Oregon State, resulting in the dismissal of defensive coordinator Tyson Summers. The Rams were defeated 56-26 in Fort Collins, with Oregon State amassing 650 yards of total offense, including 427 passing yards from quarterback Braden Atkinson, who completed 31 of 34 attempts with five touchdowns.

Head coach Jim Mora, in his first season with Colorado State, took the unusual step of relieving Summers of his defensive play-calling duties during the first half of the game. Mora then transferred those responsibilities to associate head coach and defensive line coach Kenny McClendon. Summers subsequently left the field and was officially removed from the team following the contest. Mora described the move as permanent, emphasizing that Summers made the decision to leave on his own.

The change came amid ongoing struggles for Colorado State’s defense. The Rams have allowed a total of 193 points over their first five games, ranking fifth-worst nationally in the Football Bowl Subdivision. Their defensive difficulties have been particularly pronounced in the last two games, surrendering nearly 1,200 yards combined against Utah State and Oregon State. Prior to this stretch, the team began the season with wins over Wyoming and Southern Utah, allowing only 37 points in those two contests.

Summers, 46, brought more than 20 years of coaching experience to the program, including previous stints as defensive coordinator at several schools such as Florida, Georgia, Colorado, and Western Kentucky. He initially joined Colorado State in 2025 under former head coach Jay Norvell, serving as defensive coordinator before stepping in as interim head coach for the final five games after Norvell was fired last season. The Rams finished that period without a win under his leadership.

Mora, 64, who was hired last fall after rebuilding the program at UConn, expressed confidence in McClendon’s ability to lead the defense for the remainder of the season. Praising McClendon’s impact, Mora noted that on his very first play as defensive coordinator, the team recorded a sack and forced a fumble. “We’re going to get better,” Mora said, “we’re going to get a lot better. He’s a good football coach.”

Colorado State currently holds a 2-3 record and has not recorded a winning season since 2017. The team faces ongoing challenges both defensively and in overall performance as it seeks to improve under Mora’s leadership.