Tyson Summers is out as Colorado‘s defensive coordinator after two years with the Buffaloes, sources told ESPN.
Summers came to Colorado with coach Mel Tucker in 2019 and remained the team’s coordinator under Karl Dorrell, who replaced Tucker in February after Tucker left for Michigan State. He’s the former head coach at Georgia Southern and also brought coordinator experience from Colorado State and UCF.
The moves come as a surprise after Colorado’s defense excelled in several areas in 2020, ranking 13th nationally in third-down conversations allowed (31.8%) and third in fourth-down conversions allowed (10%), leading the Pac-12 in both categories. The Buffaloes tied for second in the Pac-12 with 15 sacks and led the league in tackles for loss (49), ranking seventh nationally in tackles for loss per game (8.2).
Sources said Dorrell made the change to hire a defensive coordinator more of his choosing. He spent seven of the previous eight years in the NFL before taking the Colorado job.
Colorado went 4-2 in 2020 and finished with a loss to Texas in the Valero Alamo Bowl. Linebacker Nate Landman, a two-time first-team All-Pac-12 selection, announced he will return in 2021 to lead the defense.