Colorado State Shocks Fans by Keeping Controversial Rams DC—What’s Mora’s Game Plan?

So, here’s a twist: Colorado State Rams have decided to keep Tyson Summers as their defensive coordinator despite firing Jay Norvell after a rough 2-10 2025 season. Now, why stick to Summers when you’re bringing in Jim Mora as the new head coach? Well, maybe it’s about avoiding a total defensive meltdown right before their Pac-12 debut in 2026 — Summers has proven he can shake things up with a hybrid 3–3–5/4–2–5 scheme that gets after quarterbacks and creates turnovers like a Vegas dealer shuffles cards. His prior work at Western Kentucky wasn’t just fluff either—ranking ninth nationally in pass defense and racking up nine defensive touchdowns in recent years. The Rams aren’t just clinging to familiarity; they’re trying to nurture stability and build on aggression in hopes of flipping the results page. So the real question is—can this partnership be the spark Colorado State needs to quit limping through seasons and start winning the right way? Only time will tell, but it’s certainly a move that’s got me intrigued. LEARN MORE.

The Colorado State Rams football program will retain Tyson Summers as defensive coordinator under new head coach Jim Mora as the team prepares to move to the Pac-12 in the 2026 season.

The move comes after a turbulent 2025 season for the Rams, who finished 2-10 and parted ways with former head coach Jay Norvell in October. Summers, hired in January 2025, assumed the interim head coach role for the final stretch and helped keep the roster aligned during a difficult transition.

CBS Sports’s Matt Zenitz shared the update on X (formerly known as Twitter), noting that the Rams defensive leadership would remain intact despite the coaching change.

“Colorado State is set to retain Tyson Summers as defensive coordinator under new head coach Jim Mora, sources tell @CBSSports. Before CSU, was DC at Western Kentucky. WKU ranked ninth nationally in pass defense in 2024 and first with nine total defensive TDs in 2022 and ‘23.”

The resume behind the decision is extensive. During his tenure at Western Kentucky, Summers coordinated one of the nation’s most disruptive units. His defenses ranked among the national leaders in turnovers and produced nine defensive touchdowns across the 2022 and 2023 seasons.

That aggressive identity carried over to Fort Collins, where Summers implemented a hybrid 3–3–5 and 4–2–5 scheme designed to generate pressure and takeaways. The approach aligns with Mora’s own defensive background, making the partnership a natural fit.

By keeping the defensive coordinator in place, Colorado State avoids a complete schematic overhaul. The roster was recruited for this system, allowing players to develop rather than reset during a pivotal offseason.

Recruiting stability also factored into the decision. Summers brings strong ties in the South, complementing Mora’s national footprint as the program prepares for its Pac-12 transition.

With the Rams defensive continuity secured, attention now shifts to growth and results. As the 2026 season approaches, the Rams are betting that familiarity, aggression, and alignment will drive a much-needed turnaround.

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