‘Disconnect Was Always There,’ ‘Classless Act’ — Jim Mora’s Midgame Removal of Tyson Summers Splits Colorado State Fans

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Colorado State coach Jim Mora pulled defensive coordinator Tyson Summers off play-calling during Saturday’s 56-26 home loss to Oregon State, and by the end of the night Summers was no longer with the program.

The loss dropped Colorado State to 2-3, while Oregon State improved to 3-2. The Beavers scored 14 points in the first quarter and led 35-14 at halftime, and Colorado State has now allowed 193 points through five games.

Jim Mora Hands Kenny McClendon the Colorado State Defensive Calls

“Tyson was relieved of his playcalling duties. He left the field and is no longer with this football program. That is a permanent [move],” Mora said at his postgame news conference. “Kenny [McClendon] will be the primary play caller. He was put in a very difficult situation tonight, and he responded well. The players responded well. Very first play he called as a defensive coordinator in his life was a sack that caused a fumble. We’re gonna get better. A lot better. He’s a good football coach.”

McClendon spent the previous four seasons as Mora’s defensive line coach at UConn.

ESPN college football senior writer Pete Thamel reported the dismissal shortly after the game. “Source: Tyson Summers has been dismissed as the defensive coordinator at Colorado State. He was replaced as play caller during CSU’s loss to Oregon State today,” Thamel wrote.

Summers was gone from the sideline after the change. “Don’t see Tyson Summers on the sideline. Trent Matthews appears to be in the blue hoodie signalling and Kenny McClendon (CO-DC) next to him with a play sheet,” wrote Kevin Lytle, who covers Colorado State for the Coloradoan.

DNVR Sports writer Justin Michael questioned the timing. “Did Jim Mora fire Tyson Summers mid-game? What a weird situation,” Michael wrote.

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The tension did not start Saturday. UTSA beat Colorado State 59-45 a week earlier, and Mora and Summers had a heated sideline exchange during that game, Yahoo Sports reported.

“It felt like the disconnect between Mora and Summers was always there — even before the UTSA blowup and tonight. Two straight games giving up 50+ points and the most effortless scoring drives you’ll see is enough to do it for Mora, especially following the high from a 2-0 start,” wrote Devin Imsirpasic, a sports editor at the Rocky Mountain Collegian.

Summers first ran Colorado State’s defense in 2015, then went 5-13 as Georgia Southern’s head coach before he was let go six games into the 2017 season. He became Colorado State’s interim head coach when Jay Norvell was fired on Oct. 19, 2025, went 0-5 the rest of the way and was kept on as defensive coordinator by Mora.

Critics Call Summers a Scapegoat as Others Say Change Was Overdue

Oregon State gained 525 total yards, 195 of them rushing, and held the ball for 41:01. One Colorado State fan said the change should have come sooner. “Respectfully, Summers was horrific. Architect of the worst defense I have ever witnessed. He should have never been brought back as DC from last year, and certainly should have been fired after the UTSA game last week,” the fan wrote.

Another took aim at Mora for how the change was made. “It’s really disrespectful and a classless act by any head coach to do that. I’d be reluctant to join his staff if I was a coach. Infact if I was the Athletics Director I would call him into my office and let him know that his actions were were reckless and disrespectful,” the fan wrote.

“Summers is the fall guy,” a third fan wrote.

Another said the order of events still matters. “It’s still unclear which came first, the firing or Summers choosing to leave the field mid game. If he decided to abandon the team mid game just because he’s not calling plays anymore (after being completely ineffective), firing is fully warranted. You can’t abandon the team,” the fan wrote.

“Midgame coordinator change is a statement. Is that a reset or just damage control?” another fan asked.

DNVR Rams saw it as the end of a strained relationship. “Mora & Summers clearly had not vibed. The writing had been on the wall. Tonight was just the tipping point,” the outlet wrote.

Colorado State plays next at Texas State on Oct. 15, with McClendon as the primary play caller.

This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.

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