Tyson Summers, Colorado State’s defensive coordinator, packed it in mid-game on Saturday, ditching the sidelines after new head coach Jim Mora Jr. stripped him of his playcalling duties. This isn’t just a tough loss; it’s a full-blown meltdown that saw Summers walk out and Mora confirm he’s “no longer with this football program” immediately after the game. Talk about an in-season shake-up.
Mora Pulled The Plug Mid-Game, And Summers Walked
Things were clearly going sideways against Oregon State. The Beavers absolutely rolled up 56 points on the Rams, securing a crushing 30-point victory in Fort Collins. Mora apparently saw enough of the defensive struggles early on, making a drastic mid-game decision in the first half. He replaced Summers as the playcaller with co-defensive coordinator Kenny McClendon, who is now stepping in as the Rams’ new defensive coordinator. According to CBS Sports sources, Summers just decided he wasn’t going to stick around for the rest of it. He left the sidelines and never came back, a move that’s super rare to see in college football. USA Sports confirmed via The Coloradan’s sideline reporter Dalen Cuff that McClendon had been calling plays since midway through the first quarter, and Summers was nowhere to be found on the sideline after that.
The Defense Is Still A Disaster
You’d hope a change, even a dramatic mid-game one, might spark something. Not here. The Rams gave up 14 points in the first quarter, but the new voice didn’t help much as they went on to allow 21 more in the second quarter and another 21 in the second half. It was a complete blowout. Honestly, these defensive struggles aren’t new for Colorado State. Their defense has been one of the worst nationally all season, entering this week ranked a dismal 129th in the country, allowing 34.3 points per game. Giving up 56 points to Oregon State is only going to sink them further. Mora, who’s in his first season after coming over from UConn, said he’d seen enough and needed a new voice leading the defense, and he wasn’t about to wait until the game was over to make it happen. What a statement.
Now, with McClendon officially at the helm, the Rams have to find a way to fix this mess. This defense has been getting torched all year, and a mid-game coordinator walkout isn’t exactly a sign of stability. It’s a rough road ahead for Colorado State, and they need to figure out their defensive identity fast if they want to salvage anything from this season.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
Leave a Reply