Jim Mora fires CSU Rams coach mid-game

The Colorado State Rams’ defense is historically bad, allowing back-to-back 50-point games for the first since 1984 and head coach Jim Mora didn’t even need to see the score go final before relieving his defensive coordinator of his duties.

During the second scoring drive for the Oregon State Beavers Mora told DC Tyson Summers he was no longer calling plays, and defensive line coach Kenny McClendon was given the main head set. Summers left the sidelines and wasn’t seen in the booth during the second half. Mora confirmed they changed play callers during his halftime interview then said after the game that Summers was no longer with the program.

ESPN is reporting that Summers was dismissed.

Colorado State got walloped 56-23 on their home field, dropping to 2-3 in Mora’s inaugural campaign.

McClendon, who is also co-defensive coordinator and associate head coach, held the play sheet for the rest of the game. Cornerbacks coach Trent Matthews, a CSU graduate, took over signaling calls to the defense, a job Summers had done earlier in the game.

Mora’s frustration had been building for weeks. In last week’s 59-45 loss at UTSA, the ESPNU broadcast caught Mora screaming in Summers’ face after one of the Roadrunners’ many touchdowns. Colorado State came into Saturday ranked third-worst in the country in yards allowed per game and fourth-worst against the run.

“Players at any level, regardless of intelligence, can only comprehend so much in a football game. It’s chaos,” Mora said about what he thought was a too complex defense. “When you get in situations where your players aren’t playing fast because they’re not certain, it’s critically important that you shrink the package.”

Summers had a long history in Colorado. He was Mike Bobo’s defensive coordinator at CSU, came back last season under Jay Norvell and served as interim head coach after Norvell was fired. Mora kept him on staff when he was hired. Summers also spent two seasons in Boulder as the defensive coordinator.

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